Experience the campus, discover laboratories, gain perspectives.

This week, we welcomed students from the Rahn Studienkolleg Leipzig, an affiliate of the HSZG. The international guests traveled from Leipzig to get to know the university and the region.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch, Rector of HSZG, warmly welcomed the prospective students to the university. In addition, Robert Viertel and Inna Hauf, both from the Prorectorate for Education and International Affairs, provided the guests with comprehensive information about studying at HSZG. Inna Hauf shared her own story: She, too, had come to Germany several years ago without any knowledge of German, full of questions and uncertainties. But through the 'Studienkolleg' (preparatory college)—the same path the guests present are now taking—she found her way in and subsequently successfully completed her degree. Her journey offered the students an authentic insight into the opportunities and possibilities that studying in Germany, and especially at HSZG, opens up.

The visit began with a campus tour and lab tours, which gave the preparatory college students a closer look at the HSZG’s modern facilities and technical equipment. In the evening, they were invited to an international evening at the Dezi-Bar, where the University Executive Board, together with the students, international students, and international staff members of the HSZG, officially opened the current winter semester. In a relaxed atmosphere, everyone had the opportunity to strike up conversations and gain their first insights into university life.

On the second day, the focus was on lab sessions and workshops. Working in small groups, the visiting scholars exchanged ideas with faculty and students at the HSZG and learned about the university’s individualized support structure.

The Cooperative Study Program with Integrated Training (KIA)—which combines vocational training with a college degree and offers financial independence as well as practical experience—generated particular interest. KIA coordinator Kristin Groß has been working closely with the Rahn Institute for some time and had already presented the study model in Leipzig. In Zittau, she was able to provide the students with in-depth insights and potential opportunities—such as collaborations with partner companies—for starting their studies at the HSZG.

The students were impressed by the personal atmosphere and the HSZG’s location in the border triangle. Perhaps we’ll be able to welcome some of them as students as early as the 2025–26 winter semester.

Text: Susanne Fentzel // Photos: Oliwia Sikorska