DSW: Support for Ukrainian students

• Demand of Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW) to the German Government
• Deferred rent in dormitories, financial aid, dining hall vouchers, psychological counseling: student unions support Ukrainian students in Germany
• DSW President Rolf-Dieter Postlep: "We need a federal support package so that universities, student bodies, and student unions can help Ukrainian students"
  
• Further DSW demand: Federal government must in principle also enable assistance for Russian students in emergency situations

Berlin, 3 March 2022. Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW), the association of 57 student unions, demands that the German government provide a low-threshold and non-bureaucratic support package for students from Ukraine who are already in Germany or are now fleeing to Germany to escape the war in their country.

DSW President Prof. Dr. Rolf-Dieter Postlep states:
"We express our full solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and we do not give up hope for an early end to this war.

We must pay special attention to the approximately 6,200 Ukrainian students who are already in Germany and are facing hardship due to the war, and to all those who will flee their homeland to Germany in the coming days and weeks. Most Ukrainian students, if they are not able to finance themselves completely through a scholarship, certainly need financial support, a roof over their heads, food and also psychological counseling and support, in addition to a perspective for their studies.

Germany should therefore support Ukrainian students nationwide quickly and unbureaucratically. This demand is also addressed to the German government by Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service).

A great support from the Federal Government would enable German universities, student bodies and student unions to work together to provide the best possible help for people from Ukraine - and it would be living and practicing solidarity with Ukraine.

The student unions already actively support Ukrainian students, among other things with rent deferrals in the student dormitory, credits for the dining hall card, and with their counseling services. But we need concerted help in the medium and long term in the form of a federal support package.

In his recent government statement, Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that the sanctions were directed against Putin's regime and not against the Russian people in general. We, Deutsches Studentenwerk, therefore suggest that the German government make financial and psychological aid possible for distressed Russian students in Germany.

Solidarity and humanity are the central values of the student unions; we provide support according to need, not according to nationality. We are in solidarity with all students who are suffering from this war.

There will also be a Russian society after Putin, the young generation of today will strongly shape it. Therefore, these students should not be punished for the crimes of their government."

This press release online:
https://www.studentenwerke.de/de/content/jetzt-ein-staatliches-unterstützungspaket