Diversity Weeks

Accessibility Action Day: “What you can’t spy with your little eye…” – Spotlight on Invisible Disabilities

The European Day of Protest for Equality for People with Disabilities creates events all over Germany. In this context, the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Unit is organizing the “Accessibility Action Day” on the Saarbrücken campus on 6. May 2025 in collaboration with the Disability Inclusion Officer, the Disabled Employees' Representative and AStA's Department for Accessibility.  

This year's motto is “What you can’t spy with your little eye…” - focusing on non-visible impairments. A wide range of materials will be available at the stand, while hands-on activities will raise awareness of a serious topic in a fun way. 

Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM  
Location: Campaign stand in front of Building A4 4 (Campus Center) 
Language: German | English | French 

Hosts: KSB | Disability Inclusion Officer | Schwerbehindertenvertretung | AStA's Department for Accessibility with support of the entire CDM unit and the Diversity Ambassadors

For any questions about the event, please contact ksb(at)uni-saarland.de. 

A serious game is a digital game designed not only for entertainment but also for education, training, or raising awareness. By combining playful elements with didactic content, it imparts knowledge, helps identify discrimination, and enhances self-reflection skills.

We are delighted to introduce the Diversity Game UdS – an innovative teaching and learning game developed specifically for Saarland University. This interactive format is tailored to the needs and challenges of our university, inviting all participants to explore the diverse aspects of diversity in a playful way and to gain new perspectives. The Diversity Game UdS provides hands-on opportunities to reflect on real-life situations in academic life and develop valuable skills for engaging with diversity effectively.

The subsequent discussion session offers the chance to ask questions about the Diversity Game UdS and learn more about the services provided by the Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Unit (Diversity Office, Disability Support Service and Family Office).

Speakers: Julian Kohlbrecher | Carmen Neis

This event is part of the "BiBo - Beschäftige informieren Beschäftigte online" series . For more information about this digital information session series, please visit: BiBo – Beschäftigte informieren Beschäftigte online – Homepage (sharepoint.com) 

Thursday, 8 May 2025
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM  
Location: Presentation, MS Teams 
This event is exclusively for employees of Saarland University.  
Language: German 

Hosts: Diversity Office 

For any questions about the event, please contact diversity(at)uni-saarland.de.

As part of the synagogue tour, students and staff of Saarland University will receive an introduction to the history of the Jewish community in Saarbrücken. 

Jewish customs and traditions will be explained through the structure of a synagogue. In addition, ritual objects from Jewish religious practice will be presented to further illustrate and deepen the explanations. 

In cooperation with the Synagogue Community Saar.

Tuesday, 13 May 2025 
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM  
Meeting spot: Synagogue Saarbrücken, Beethovenplatz 
Language: German 
 
Registration & ORGANISATION: 
Due to security measures,  registration is required. Please bring your ID card, passport, and/or, if applicable, your dgti supplementary ID card along with your ID card for verification. 
There will be a security check before entry to the synagogue. Bags or mobile phones are not allowed inside the synagogue; please reduce the number of items you bring with you as much as possible. 
Male visitors are kindly asked to bring a head covering. Kippahs are also available for loan. 
 
Accessibility: The synagogue is accessible via a ramp. Unfortunately, accessible (wheelchair-friendly) toilets are not available. 

Hosts: Diversity Office in cooperation with Synagogengemeinde Saar

For any questions about the event, please contact diversity(at)uni-saarland.de.

What does diversity mean – and how do we shape it in the university environment? 

The workshop offers insights into the work of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Unit at Saarland University and provides key concepts related to diversity, equal opportunities, and anti-discrimination. It will cover fundamental terms such as unconscious bias, everyday racism, and bias, and encourage collective reflection on these topics. 

Wednesday, 14 May 2025 
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM  
Location: Non-public event 
Language: German  

Hosts: Diversity Office | Transform4Europe 

The Round Table offers students with disabilities or chronic illnesses the opportunity to connect, network, and share experiences. It is also a chance to get to know the team and work of the Disability Support Service as well as the Student Council of the Medical Department. The event is supported by the AStA Department for Accessibility.  

 Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM  
Location: Campus Homburg, Building 74, FMH-Room 
Languages: German | English  

For any questions about the event, please contact  ksb(at)uni-saarland.de. 

The Family Picnic at UdS welcomes all staff, guests, and students, along with their families. In celebration of the International Day of Families, we aim to highlight the diversity of family life on our campus. 

Under the motto "Time for us: Living family," we warmly invite all parent-child communities, including single parents, patchwork families, rainbow families, and traditional families. Families can connect and exchange experiences in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying their own snacks and drinks. Babysitters will be on hand to provide childcare, fun, and games. We look forward to a vibrant and diverse gathering! 

In good weather, the event will take place on the central campus lawn. In case of bad weather, it will be held in Building A4 4 (Campus Center), Room 2.02.

The Family Picnic is a collaborative event organised by the Family Office of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Unit, the International Relations Division – Welcome Center, and the Max Planck Institutes on the Saarbrücken Campus.  

Thursday, 15 May 2025 

Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM  
Location: Central Campus Lawn  
Languages: German | English | French 

REGISTRATION: For better planning of childcare, we kindly ask you to register in advance. Click here for the registration form. 
Spontaneous visitors are also very welcome! 

Hosts: Family Office, Welcome Center | Max Planck Institutes Saarbrücken 
with the support of the Diversity Office  

For any questions about the event, please contact familie(at)uni-saarland.de. 

Despite National Socialist persecution and the Shoah, Jewish people returned to the Saar region immediately after the Second World War. The first post-war synagogue on German soil was built in the “teilautonomen Saarstaat”. This small Jewish community has grown considerably since the 1990s due to immigration from Eastern Europe.  

The event focuses on Jewish life in the region from 1945 to the present day. What continuities and disruptions can be identified? What do we actually mean when we talk about “Jewish life”? How varied, how diverse is it? What conflicts were and are there, and what are the challenges of the present and future? We want to discuss these and similar questions on the podium and with the audience. 

Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Time: 6:30 PM 
Location: Saarbrücken Public Library 
Language: German  

The "UdS im Dialog" event series is part of Saarland University's Third Mission approach. Through its expertise in research and teaching, the university actively contributes to social discourse beyond the boundaries of its campus. 

Hosts: Saarland University | CDM 

For any questions about the event, please contact diversity(at)uni-saarland.de. 

Getting off the carousel of thoughts: this short break is about pausing, taking a deep breath and clearing your head. Small impulses, exercise and a protected setting help to refocus - for more clarity and inner peace in everyday (university) life.

 The format is aimed exclusively at professors.

On 23 May from 12 pm to 2 pm, we invite you to a lunchtime break in the campus forest - with short mindfulness exercises, discussions in a relaxed atmosphere and a snack break together outdoors. 

Friday, 23 May 2025
Time: 12:00 - 14:00
Location: Meeting spot: In front of building B6 6 

Registration is not necessary. However, expressions of interest will help us to organise the snack break.

Hosts: A joint event organised by the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Unit together with the PPB, the „Betrieblichen Sucht- und Sozialberatung“, the „Schwerbehindertenvertretung“ and the inclusion representative.

For any questions about the event, please contact diversity(at)uni-saarland.de. 

Studying with Family, with Disabilities, or Other Diversity Characteristics – Is That Even Possible? 
Absolutely! Saarland University offers a range of support and is constantly developing new ideas. Visit our stand for useful information—and this year, we also have a special activity for children. 
We look forward to welcoming visitors of all ages! 

Saturday, 24 May 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM 
Location: Central Campus Lawn 
Language: German | English | French 

For any questions about the event, please contact diversity(at)uni-saarland.de 

The Walk & Talk about Depression event is aimed at students who experience depression or are affected by other mental health conditions. This low-threshold offering provides an opportunity for mutual exchange through a shared walk.  

Monday, 26 May 2025
Time: 2:30 P.M.  
Meeting spot: Green area between C7 2 and C7 4  
Languages: German | English 

Hosts: Disability Support Service 

For any questions about the event, please contact ksb(at)uni-saarland.de. 

Ceremonial Event in Celebration of German Diversity Day  

Social background still significantly influences access to higher education and students' academic journeys. Those from non-academic family backgrounds—so-called First-Generation Students—often face unique challenges. Organisations like ArbeiterKind.de work to support, connect, and empower these students.

Saarland University is also committed to fostering a discrimination-free campus through the Charta der Vielfalt and actively promotes the inclusion of all talents. But how can First-Generation Students successfully navigate higher education? What barriers must be overcome, and what can universities and policymakers do to break them down? 

These questions will be at the heart of our symposium, and we warmly invite you to join us. Together, we aim to develop ideas on how to better support the potential of these students and create equal opportunities for all. 

Greeting:
Prof. Dr. Ludger Santen President of Saarland University 

Keynote Speech:
Katja Urbatsch, Co-Founder and Managing Director of ArbeiterKind.de 

Short Portraits of Role Models: Succeeding as a First-Generation Student: 
Prof. Dr. Alexander Titz, Professor of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Saarland University 
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Laura Aradilla Zapata, Junior Professor of Molecular Cell Biophysics at Saarland University 

Moderation: 
Tamara Wagner, Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Unit at Saarland University 

Panel discussion:
Jakob von Weizsäcker, Minister of Finance and Science of Saarland
Katja Urbatsch, ArbeiterKind.de
Prof. Dr. Ludger Santen, President of Saarland University  

Moderation:
Dörte Grabbert, Press Officer of Arbeitskammer des Saarlandes

Afterwards: Get-together with snacks and drinks  

Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Time: 4:00 P.M. 
Location: Building C7 4, Conference room 1.17 
Language: German 

Registration: Please register by 20 May 2025 with KoWA: E-Mail: kooperationsstelle@uni-saarland.de Telephone: 0681 302-4802  
Please find the flyer for the event here.

Hosts: Saarland University | Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Unit | Kooperationsstelle Wissenschaft und Arbeit | Arbeitskammer des Saarlandes