...is designed to support first and second semester students who are the first in their family to study at the university. They are supported by their more experienced fellow students and have access to joint events on various topics relating to studying at HHU.
For many, starting university marks the beginning of a new phase in their lives - with new environments, new responsibilities and new challenges. For first-generation students, however, starting their studies is often more difficult than for their fellow students from academic households.
The aim of the Diversity-Buddy-Programme ‘1stGeneration@HHU’ is therefore to help students who are the first in their family to study to overcome hurdles and make studying easier for them. In the best case scenario, long-term networks are established and friendships formed that extend beyond the Buddy-Programme.
Duration: 1 year
Start: annually in the winter semester
Are you in your 1st or 2nd semester and the first student in your family? Everything is new and you have lots of questions? Then you've come to the right place. We will help you find a suitable Senior-Buddy who will support you during your studies and provide you with advice and assistance. We also offer interesting lectures, workshops and other support to help you get off to a successful start to your studies.
Would you like to volunteer alongside your studies and pass on your experience to future students? Then you've come to the right place. We will help you to find a suitable Junior-Buddy who you can support during your studies. In addition to acquiring a volunteering certificate, you can take part in various workshops and acquire important soft skills for your professional life.
What former Buddies say:
"I hope that I have someone I can come to with all my questions and problems. Someone who understands me. I hope that I will be supported in my studies and that I will be helped to develop my skills so that I can improve in my studies." (Junior-Buddy, 2022)
"I am also the first in my family to go to university and I know how many hurdles this can involve. New terms, people and a new system can be quite overwhelming, especially if your family can't support you. I would like to get involved as a senior buddy to help first-generation students get started at university (...)." (Senior-Buddy, 2021)