15. May 2018
Connecting Campuses Through Student Advisory Service
"Students advise students" organizes two-day opening workshop with all faculties of the HSZG.
On May 4 and 5, 2018, 25 students from all faculties participated in the joint opening workshop for the training program to become student academic advisors. The two-day workshop took place in the Bluebox auditorium at the Görlitz campus.
“Students Advise Students” (SbS) is a support program offered by the University that helps first-year students ease into their studies. Fellow students in higher semesters serve as points of contact and sources of experience for newcomers as they adjust to their new life situation.
Accordingly, the workshop focused on clarifying the tasks and goals of the Student Advisory Service, addressing typical questions that first-year students often ask SbS advisors, and familiarizing participants with the tools of the trade for a student advisor. In addition, the workshop participants explored the university’s structure and the overarching project“Diversity as a Strength,”networked with one another, and discussed and tested group dynamics processes.
Together, they reflected on what constitutes good student advising and how it can be structured to effectively support first-year students. On the one hand, content and topics were developed and explored interactively. On the other hand, the focus was on experiential and group-oriented tasks and methods. During a joint barbecue with a campfire, music, and various game options, students from both campuses were able to get to know one another and exchange ideas in a relaxed setting. To foster networking between Zittau and Görlitz as well as among the individual faculties, the students also developed various ideas to enable good integration of the campuses—both for the project and for all students.
Suggestions, action plans, and event ideas for shaping the program offerings were also collected and developed. As part of the training for student advisory service staff, additional cross-faculty and faculty-specific workshops are planned. The goal is both to become familiar with the counseling and support services available both within and outside the University, as well as to learn and try out techniques and methods for good counseling.
Students who would like to support SbS are welcome to contact the study scouts at their respective faculties. Students receive a certificate for participating in the workshops and seminars.
A heartfelt thank you to the campus manager, Jürgen Scheibler, as well as the organizers of the successful opening workshop, Sandro Hänseroth and Stefan-Tobias Dittmann.