Student Committees and Initiatives

The General Student Committee takes care of all important student affairs at Viadrina. It consists of the departments for international affairs, social affairs, finances, public relations, sports, culture, ADV and university politics as well as the main department.

The Law Student Council cares lovingly for the needs of their fellow students and helps with all problems related to the study of law.

The Student Council is the student representation of all students of the Faculty of Cultural Studies. We regularly produce a newsletter with all important university, cultural and leisure events. In addition, we organize a regulars' table for you every month, take care of the freshmen and help with orientation at the university. If you have any questions or problems concerning your studies, we are your contact.

We are the first point of contact for all student questions and work with the freshman orientation week. We inform you about current faculty and university events, help you with problems with your studies as well as with the lecturers and are happy if you also bring in new ideas or suggestions.

The StuPa is the highest decision-making body of the student body at Viadrina. It is elected once a year by the students in a free, equal and secret election. The most important tasks of the StuPa are to decide on fundamental student matters, to decide on the budget, to elect and dismiss the General Student Committee (AStA), and to set standards for its work. In order to fulfill its tasks, the StuPa works in committees (currently the Legal Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, University Policy Committee, German-Polish Committee and Public Relations Committee).

The student initiative "Amnesty International" introduces itself:

"We are the Amnesty International University Group at Viadrina. We participate in campaigns and actions within the framework of Amnesty International - the world's largest human rights organization - and also organize our own events on the topic of human rights. Everyone is welcome to join us, no previous legal knowledge or such is necessary."

The Frankfurt group of the ArbeiterKind.de initiative is there to help students from non-academic families with all their questions about studying. They provide support in choosing a suitable course of study, advise on financing studies, give tips on planning the course of studies and writing academic papers, and help with applications for internships, student jobs and all other stumbling blocks that one may encounter before, during and after studies.

The student initiative "Campusgrün Viadrina" introduces itself:

"Campusgrün Viadrina is the green university group at the European University in Frankfurt (Oder). We represent the interests of students at the university, as well as in the student parliament. Programmatically, we are particularly committed to a more sustainable and social campus, but issues such as digitalization, tolerance, equality or political participation of students are also important to us. We want to strengthen Viadrina's importance as an international and diverse university, entirely in the European sense. Campusgrün Viadrina is committed to an affordable semester ticket. We also stand up for Frankfurt as a city open to the world. We regularly organize events on current political topics. We always share information about these on our social media channels. We are always happy to receive support!"

The Christian Student Fellowship at the Viadrina offers Bible readings, worshippings and community gatherings.

The student initiative "Der Funke" introduces itself:

"We are a revolutionary communist organisation and founded the "Revolutionary Communist Party (RKP)" in November 2023. At our meetings, we train ourselves to become revolutionaries by studying the lessons of past revolutions and class struggles, educating ourselves in the theory of Marxism, discussing current political events and getting involved in local struggles."

The student initiative "dielinke.SDS Viadrina" introduces itself:

"We as dielinke.SDS Viadrina are a left-wing, emancipatory, anti-racist and anti-capitalist university group, which stands up for the interests of the student body in the committees of the student body as well as in the committees of the academic co-administration. Programmatically, we stand above all for the preservation of critical science, which approaches social phenomena in a questioning-explanatory way and does not limit itself to a description that is purely limited to the economic exploitability of knowledge. We fight for stronger student political participation and the fight against racist as well as gendered role attributions, both in the student body and in the academic enterprise."

ELSA is the European Law Students' Association, an independent, politically neutral and non-profit international organization of law students, trainee lawyers and young lawyers. ELSA Frankfurt (Oder) organizes lectures on legal topics, various moot courts, international trips, visits to law firms and companies, as well as an exchange program for members to arrange internships throughout Europe. You can find the latest news about our projects on our website.

The university initiative Free Minds Advocacy was newly founded in the summer semester 2020. The initiative aims to raise awareness at Viadrina about human rights violations related to academic freedom in different regions of the world and to represent cases of individual scholars in distress. Every semester, the initiative deals with the fate of a scientist in distress in cooperation with the NGO "Scholars at Risk".

The student initiative "Hoffnung Frankfurt (Oder) - christliche Gemeinde e.V." introduces itself:

"Hoffnung Frankfurt (Oder) - christliche Gemeinde e.V. is part of a worldwide network of house churches, specifically: a wildly diverse group of students, alumni, working people, young families and their children. But each of us has encountered God at some point. That's why we work together as a team, pitch in where needed, provide mentoring, talk to God, enjoy our lives, read the Bible, think out loud, ask questions, and (allow ourselves to be) questioned. More specific? Come to one of our public meetings in person or digitally or email us."

The members of the Institute for Applied History, students, graduates and employees of the Viadrina, deal with the borderland and its inhabitants within the framework of projects, excursions and seminars. In this way, the institute builds a bridge between the university and the Frankfurt (Oder)/Slubice region, as well as between the past and the present.

The initiative "Intellectual Games" is aimed at Russian-speaking students who enjoy games, for example, the game "What? Where? When?". The point of this game is to answer a question that can only be answered if a team of six people uses enough logical thinking. Almost all questions can be answered without specific knowledge in a particular scientific field. There are also a number of other intellectual games we deal with. Russian language skills are necessary for all of them, as these activities are particularly widespread in the post-Soviet space.

The student initiative "Interstudis" introduces itself:

"We Interstudis take care of the visiting students of the university. We provide each visiting student with a personal tutor and organize excursions and events where the visiting students can get to know each other and the students of the Viadrina. Be part of it! We are happy to welcome new members."

The student "Initiative of the Young European Federalists Berlin-Brandenburg at the European University Viadrina" introduces itself:

"We, the "Initiative of the Young European Federalists Berlin-Brandenburg at the European University Viadrina" (JEF Viadrina), are an independent, non-partisan as well as non-denominational association, which stands up for the understanding of the peoples of Europe on a federal, liberal, constitutional and democratic basis. We have founded ourselves in the European double city Frankfurt Oder - Słubice, in order to actively as well as critically inform ourselves locally on the idea of creating a European federation with a European constitution.

We are the youth association of the Europa-Union Germany and, in a federalist manner, embedded in the regional association of the JEF Berlin-Brandenburg, the federal association of the JEF Germany as well as the European umbrella organization of the JEF Europe. Throughout Europe, we thus work together on various levels to realize the European idea."

The Junge Union Frankfurt (Oder) sits as a university group together with the RCDS Viadrina in the student parliament. They stand for breaking up outdated structures and want to bring a breath of fresh air into the political landscape of the Viadrina.

The Juso University Group of the Viadrina belongs to the Federal Association of Juso University Groups and is thus a part of the student association of the SPD. However, we are not part of the party organization and work independently. We have our own organizational structure within the framework of our federal association, which is characterized by grassroots democracy. On the local level, i.e. here in Frankfurt (Oder), we are a meeting point for politically interested students who are close to the values of the SPD, especially with regard to social justice and equal opportunities.

The student initiative "Kunstgriff" introduces itself:

"Kunstgriff is the central hub of a network for the University, Słubice and Frankfurt (Oder) and the surrounding area, a service provider (lobbyist) for art and culture at the European University as well as an "enabler" for cultural projects of all kinds.

What we currently offer: contacts and coordination, help with fundraising (e.g. joint applications to funding agencies), financing of three conductors for orchestra and choir, rehearsal room (under construction) + hardware (for a deposit, but no fee: rental of amplifiers, equipment, music stands, etc.!)."

The student initiative "Liberal Campus" introduces itself:

"The Liberal Campus (LiCa) is an association of students from all faculties. What we have in common is that we are interested in what is happening at our university and want to help shape things according to our own ideas. In doing so, we do not orient ourselves to party programs, but develop our ideas independently."

The student initiative "Ecumenical student work" introduces itself:

"Students from all faculties, from many countries and different churches are active in the Ecumenical Student Work (ÖSAF). With us you can make new friends, get to know other cultures and traditions, practice thinking and acting in solidarity, discuss God and the world, and get to know and live a living Christian faith. We maintain a good exchange with the Polish Catholic student community Parakletos in Słubice. You can find information about the events of Parakletos in the semester programme. You are welcome, no matter what nation, denomination (or even none), gender and faculty you belong to. We are looking forward to meeting you."

The student-run Freiraum Stuck e. V. is the student club of the Viadrina. Here students organize concerts, film evenings, readings, parties, bar evenings and much more for students and citizens of the twin city.

The student initiative "Students for Climate Justice" introduces itself:

"We, the "Students for Climate Justice - Frankfurt (Oder)", have founded ourselves from the idea of the worldwide Fridays For Future - movement, in order to support the objectives and demands of the Fridays For Future - movement in the European University Viadrina and the city community of the double city Frankfurt (Oder) Słubice and to work together for climate justice. By this we understand that an awareness of the climate crisis is created and a change in behavior is stimulated, among other things through publicity measures and projects."

The student initiative "Unicef" introduces itself:

"The Unicef University Group was formed in the winter of 2005 as a result of the tsunami disaster. Since we have been trying to collect donations and to draw attention to problems children face. In doing so, we work closely together with the Unicef working group Frankfurt (Oder). Our best-known project is probably the recent charity run on the island of Ziegenwerder, but we have also successfully tried to raise money for children of Sinti and Roma in Southeastern Europe through a benefit concert, sporting events and school projects. We are happy about everyone who wants to join us."

The theater festival UNITHEA takes place annually in close cooperation with the Kleist Forum. Students of the Viadrina always try to invite new, young professional Polish and German theater groups and artists. In the first phase (winter semester) of preparation for the festival, the main focus is on working together to develop a program and dramaturgy concept, and then to design a suitable marketing and sponsorship concept and acquire the necessary funds. In the second phase (summer semester), the focus is on festival organization and implementation.

The verbuendungshaus fforst is an international association whose approximately 30 members live in Forststraße 3-4. The house was founded in 2006 by a group of students and the collective "Anschlaege" and is still managed independently by the "Fförster". The residents are a colorful, international mix of mostly students but also other Frankfurt residents who are committed to the courageous project. The focus is on cultural engagement and exchange, and an open, creative coexistence between Germany, Poland and other nationalities.

The Viadrin@lumni network is the international alumni network of the Viadrina. It connects alumni, students as well as former employees with each other and with the university - with pleasure all its life!

Since its foundation in 2002, the Viadrina Consulting Group e.V. (VCG) has developed into one of the initiatives with the largest membership at the Viadrina and today not only advises SMEs from the region, but also has clients from large parts of Germany. The services offered to companies include a wide variety in the areas of marketing, strategy and IT and range from market research and SWOT analyses to website design. In addition, VCG offers public lectures/speakers, trainings and workshops within the framework of internal events. With the help of these diverse fields of activity, the VCG is an initiative for interested students of all faculties and semesters, which opens up the possibility of gaining extensive experience and applying the theoretical knowledge gained at the university in a targeted manner in practice.

The student initiative "ViaFrankfurt" introduces itself:

"ViaFrankfurt is actively involved as a university group at the European University Viadrina. Our work focuses on the politically occupied committees at the university, such as the student parliament. Here we stand up for a strong political center and actively fight against extreme right-wing as well as extreme left-wing positions. We see the key to a lively and diverse university in the many initiatives at the university. These are the heart of our Viadrina and their support is an essential concern for us. ViaFrankfurt is therefore the real representation of the initiatives in the political bodies. Furthermore, we would like to actively improve the value of Frankfurt's location factor and see the university as a central point in accomplishing this. Therefore we advocate for a broader range of teaching opportunities in terms of time and content. The Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) means a lot to us and we will always put our work into positive developments for the university in the heart of Europe."

The student initiative "ViaMUN" introduces itself:

"ViaMUN is the UN and MUN university group of the Viadrina. We have set ourselves the goal of conveying a differentiated image of the United Nations to students and citizens of Frankfurt. This includes, among other things, the organization of the annual "Viadrina Model United Nations", in which we simulate the work of UN bodies in a kind of simulation game."

The university orchestra "Viaphoniker" is always looking for sonorous support. Rehearsals take place once a week during the semester. Do you play an instrument and enjoy making music together? Then you have come to the right place.

The ViaSorority initiative was founded in the summer of 2019. It sees itself as an association of students who, on the basis of international solidarity and the women's movement, is committed to a more tolerant coexistence, a gender-just society and against violence and sexism as well as discrimination of any kind. It offers space for protection, exchange and education in the form of regular meetings and events.

Vision Viadrina is an initiative founded by students of the European University, which that deals with the discourse on and the handling of the financial markets. The goal is to learn extra curricular (soft) skills related to operations in financial business as well as to analyze processes and structures of companies in order to make tangible statements about company development. The goal is to create a portfolio with specially selected companies that outperform major stock indices.