The first International Day at the HSZG visibly brings people, perspectives and countries of origin together.
On June 4, 2025, International Day took place for the first time at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences - a day full of encounters, stories and lived internationality. On the initiative of the Vice-Rector for Research, Transfer and Internationalization, Prof. Dr. Sophia Keil, this day was created to make the diversity at the HSZG visible and tangible.
Internationality does not begin in strategy papers, it begins in our hearts and on our campuses in real interaction. For me, it means making diversity visible, focusing on equal opportunities, strengthening intercultural skills and bringing people from all over the world into the heart of our university. Each and every one of us can contribute to shaping an open and networked university community. The International Day was a first step towards making this visible at the HSZG. I would like to thank everyone who brought it to life - and I hope that we will continue on this path together with courage.
”Over 50 nations are represented at our university - among the students and staff. This diversity was impressively showcased on campus. A large world map showed the countries of origin of the university members. Over the course of the day, it was filled with photos from an instant camera: people showed where they came from - and thus made the internationality of the HSZG visible in a very personal way.
Another highlight was the wheel of fortune with questions about studying, language, culture and internationality - to guess, laugh or simply get the conversation rolling. Anyone who wanted to could send greetings from all over the world at the "With love from HSZG" postcard station or leave greetings in various languages on the large "Say hello in your language" board - a visible sign of openness and multilingualism in action.
A special eye-catcher that contributed to the lively atmosphere: the exhibition Faces of Hope by Jeremy Cope. Impressive portraits were presented along the campus axis. With Faces of Hope, the photographer portrayed young international students at the HSZG - and captured moments that tell of courage, hope and new beginnings.
Internationality was also reflected in the music: Malaysian student Hakimin from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering enriched the program with a guest DJ set and created a great atmosphere on campus.
The International Day program was complemented by the workshop "Diverse Together", which was aimed specifically at the university's employees. The event was led by Naomi Lwanyaga. The focus was on dealing with cultural diversity in everyday university life in a sensitive and practical way, as well as exchanging ideas with colleagues.
"What I liked best was the confidential and respectful atmosphere among the participants, as this was the best way to learn that everyone has experienced discrimination at some point and that it is a problem that affects us all - but that we can solve it together," says Julia Ochmann.
When people meet each other with curiosity, discover other cultures and languages, play sports together or exchange ideas at a workshop, a real sense of belonging is created. Days like these make it possible to experience how lively living together can be at the HSZG - and encourage more of this in everyday life.
The International Day was embedded in the university sports and staff festival - together, the three formats formed a day on which diversity, movement, encounters and community were experienced in a special way.
A big thank you goes to everyone who organized, prepared and helped to shape this day - at the stands, behind the scenes, in discussions and in the interaction on site.
