The first newsletter issue of 2026 once again has exciting news from the Interdisciplinary Career and Study Centre IKaruS in store for you.
Firstly, we would like to report on new developments in our extensive range of language courses: With Korean and Basque we are able to offer two new languages this term - the latter is a rarity at German universities! Furthermore, the Collegial academic management as the board of the Interdisciplinary Career and Study Centre took up work in february.
At the end of April, the IKaruS counselling team is organising its first networking event for first-generation students which will be attended by representatives of the Arbeiterkind.de initiative. Also interesting to students: Our new counselling platform offers information and processes relating to digital coaching and counselling sessions in one place!
For the planning team of the University Experience Day, the exciting phase begins now, as 3 June is fast approaching!
We wish you a good start to the summer semester and hope that you enjoyed our selection of topics in this newsletter.
Best regards The Interdisciplinary Career and Study Centre team
New language courses: Korean and Basque
Current developments in the language sector
We are delighted that our language course programme has new exciting languages in its programme for the 2026 summer semester. We are expanding our programme with Korean and also offer completely new Basque a rarity, as Basque is only taught at very few universities in Germany.
The Basque language, also known as Euskara is particularly fascinating because, as an isolated language, it has no demonstrable relationship to other living languages. It is considered to be the oldest language in Europe and is characterised by a unique grammar with ergativity, complex verb forms and the absence of grammatical gender.
Current language courses
We have the following language courses in our programme for the summer semester:
Ancient Greek II
Arabic (level A1, self-study course for writing)
German as a foreign language (A1-C1)
Basque (A1)
English (B2/C1): Refresher course: Back on Track (B2), Academic English (C1), Focus on Pronunciation (tutorial), Grammar Refresher (tutorial), Conversation Starter (tutorial)
French (A1, B1)
Sign language (beginners and advanced)
Irish Gaelic (A1)
Italian (A1-B1)
Japanese (A1)
Korean (A1)
Latin I
Norwegian (A1)
Portuguese (A1)
Russian (A1)
Spanish (A1-A2)
Ukrainian (self-study course for writing)
Who can attend language courses?
Our language courses are open to students from all subject areas and focus on practical learning. Through varied tutorials and active application, language skills are built up and deepened in a targeted manner - ideal for studies, stays abroad or simply out of interest in new languages.
Registrations are open from 10.03.2026 until 23.03.2026possible via clips. Secure your place now and discover new linguistic perspectives!
2nd IKaruS KWL kick-off
On 11 February 2026, the new Collegial Academic Board (KWL) of the IKaruS was constituted and began its work. The KWL acts as the central scientific institution's board and brings together the perspectives of all four faculties of the university, the university management and employees from academia, technology/administration and the student body.
In its second term of office, the KWL is made up of the following members and their deputies:
Member of the presidential executive committee: Prof Dr Constanze Juchem-Grundmann
Faculty 1: Prof. Dr Thorsten Fuchs, Prof. Dr Diana Hanke-Boer
Faculty 2: Prof. Dr Pamela Steen, Prof. Dr Nicole Maruo-Schröder
Faculty 3: Prof. Dr Klaus Fischer, N.N.
Faculty 4: Prof. Dr Andreas Mauthe, Prof. Dr Martin Schmitz
Academic staff: Dr Martina Rahe, Dr Kornelia van der Beek
Technology and administration: Ina Kreutz, M.A., André Stange
Students: Anastasia Caplan, Leonie Milich
Prof Dr Thorsten Fuchs was reappointed as Chairman. Together with Prof. Dr Constanze Juchem-Grundmann and IKaruS manager Dr Imke von Helden, he forms the Executive Collegial Academic Management.
In the opening report, Dr Imke von Helden presented the diverse areas of activity of the Interdisciplinary Career and Study Centre. The centre supports students throughout the entire course of their studies - from initial interest to graduation. The current focus is on orientating prospective students, for example through the Study Orientation Tool and the University Experience Day, as well as other important services for students.
With its diverse range of services and broad-based management, IKaruS is ideally equipped for the coming three-year work phase until the end of 2028 to competently support students on their individual educational path and to further develop them through new offers.
Networking event for first-generation students
First-generation students - i.e. those whose parents and grandparents did not study themselves - often have a different university experience when starting their studies than students who have already gained an insight into everyday student life through their parents and/or other family members. Those who already know which hurdles and difficult phases are part of studying or how to set the course for their future career during their studies usually find it easier to find their way around. First-year students often feel alone with the feeling that they first have to sort out everyday university life and find their way around. The networking event for first-generation students and prospective students provides an opportunity to make contacts and ask questions that might not otherwise have any room.
Antonia Diaco from the initiative Arbeiterkind.de offers a privilege check as part of the event to reflect on aspects that influence individual educational history. The Koblenz volunteer group of Arbeiterkind.de will also introduce itself and is happy to welcome interested parties for further networking.
Students, alumni and prospective students who are or have been in contact with the university for the first time are cordially invited.
The event will take place on Tuesday, Tuesday 28.04.2026 from 16:30 to 18:00 in room F114. To the registration click here.
Participants wanted for panel discussion!
We are looking for people who were the first in their family to study1 - regardless of whether they (currently) have a degree or not. Are you willing to answer questions from participants in a round table discussion and talk about your own experiences during your studies? If you are interested, please contact ikarus-beratung@uni-koblenz.de.
(1 anyone who has siblings, cousins, etc. who are studying/studied - i.e. people who belong to the same generation within the family - is or was a first-generation student)
New platform for digital coaching and counselling sessions in Olat
In order to combine both the information on IKaruS counselling services and the organisation of counselling sessions in one place, the counselling platform "Coaching and counselling: your digital world" was created. Students can get an overview of the counselling services currently available here on the subject of compensation for disadvantages and counselling in case of doubts about their studies, book appointments and also find the BigBlueButton rooms for digital discussions.
Students who are impaired in their studies due to a disability or chronic physical and/or mental illness can find advice on general questions about studying with an impairment and help with applying for compensation for disadvantages. Students with disabilities include, in particular, people with mobility, visual or hearing impairments, mental illnesses, dyslexia and other partial performance disorders, autism and ADHD as well as chronic illnesses such as diabetes or rheumatism. In addition to a handout for students, the counselling platform also contains materials for applying for compensation for disadvantages and other information.
Students with all kinds of doubts about their studies will find help and new perspectives in the counselling service if the situation at university is causing difficulties and it is not clear how to proceed. Counselling offers support in overcoming study problems and the decision-making process as to whether a change of subject or dropping out is the right thing to do. The focus is on individual, solution-oriented counselling to enable students to master difficult situations and gain a new perspective on their own resources and opportunities. On the counselling platform, students with doubts about their studies will find information about the counselling session as well as other resources and literature that can help with doubts.
After the differend kinds of counselling appointments, students also have the opportunity to provide feedback in the form of short, anonymous surveys so that we can continuously develop our services.
The platform is the result of the DigiKompASS project, which is funded by Innovation in der Hochschullehre. Further information on the overall project can be found here: https://www.uni-koblenz.de/de/digikompass (in German).
