International communication at the Students village

To support the integration of foreign students the Initiative zur Förderung interkultureller Kommunikation Studentendorf (IFIKS e.V.) was found in 2001. The IFIKS e.V and the STIBET-Programme from the DAAD are responsible for the integration of international students.

��Integration through active involvement of international students in the daily routine of German students - from students, for students.��

KIKK-Centre and KIKK-Points

KIKK stands for:
KONTAKT -INTEGRATION -KOMMUNIKATION -KULTURAUSTAUSCH. (Contact, Integration. Communication, Culture)

The name stands for everything we wish to achieve:

These four aspects must be activated to develop the potential of a multicultural interaction between students.

The KIKK-Centre regularly offers events to all students -German and foreign, and to other citizens of Marburg.
The KIKK-Points supports international students in their surroundings, their living situations and communities.

Experience showed that by meeting regularly the integration and counselling of international students are more successful. In a homely atmosphere students feel free to ask questions, discuss problems and discuss conflict situations. Solutions were discussed there and then, with all the parties involved. Discussing these aspects during office hours in a clinical environment does not have the same effect. Students will not speak openly and honestly in such a situation, mostly because this is not appropriate in their home countries. For express communication we make use of Internet. Fixed office hours cannot be avoided, yet the informal meetings make out the most important aspect of the integration programme. Tutors have difficulties in performing their profession without the homely atmosphere at these meetings. The meetings take place at the Students Village, and are well attended by both national and international students, fulfilling our goal of integration.

KIKK -Centre
The majority (25 %) of international students live in the Students Village and the surrounding domiciles. Therefor we chose the Students Village as an appropriate meeting place.

Our goals:

  • Forced cultural encounters and cultural exchange
  • Active integration of the international students in Marburg
  • Contact between German and international students, and contact with the citizens of Marburg
  • Creating an open living environment
  • Creating an infrastructure to help others reach their intercultural and communication goals
  • Creating a feeling of unity among students which is independent of race and culture
  • Making Marburg an attractive place for international students
  • Supporting tolerance and a sense of responsibility among the students and citizens
  • Open minds for foreign and local culture.


To reach our goals the IFIKS e.V. and its partners offer various events.
Offers at the KIKK-Centre:

  • Information about countries, cultural events with dancing, music etc.
  • Film evenings
  • Culture evenings
  • Games evening, tournaments, Dancing, Sports etc.
  • Communal rooms for music, TV, Video etc.

KIKK -Points:

  • Making and keeping contact
  • Integration and counselling
  • Communication
  • Intercultural exchange
  • Support of social-, cultural-, and foreign language competence
  • Informationsvermittlung zu verschiedensten Themen
  • Enabling foreign students to integrate successfully and so make a success of their studies
  • at 88 Richtsberg: Integration and cultural exchange between families.


Where are the other KIKK-Points / the KIKK-Centre?

Another KiKK Point can be found at Erlenring soon. We are planing to expand our integration programme by making contact with international students on a personal level at the Student House. Mr Baumgarten is responsible for the realisation of this programme and astonishes us with his engagement.

Students and non-students work together to realise our goals. Students, independent of race, culture or origin take part in the programme,enabling integration, from which they all benefit.

Examples for the benefits of integration for German students:

  • Development of friendships over many years, with international contact as a result
  • Motivation of German students to learn foreign languages and take part in exchange programmes through the contact with international students.


To create and develop new and existing KIKK-Points, organise events at the KIKK-Centre in cooperation with fellow students and citizens are the main duties in the coming years for the IFIKS e.V.
It is our goal to create a network which will remain stable and independent. We are looking at the following programmes as well:

��cultural and social construction“ and special projects:

  • Support of integration in communes: to enable integration in every day life. IFIKS e.V. Some cultures are more difficult to integrate than others, yet the projects of the IFIKS e.V. and the RAA, does not give up...
  • Chinese students (290, largest group of foreign students): This special group of students has not found a lot of support and integration possibilities until now. Together with interested Chinese students the IFIKS e.V. wishes to solve this problem.
  • Turkish students(138, second largest group): Because Turkish students often stays with their families it was difficult until now to reach them. through the foundation of the ��Türkische Studenten und Wissenschaftler e.V.�� association we were able to create the basis for future communication.
  • Arabian students: IFIKS e.V. was able to integrate these students with students from Israel / Palestine. Misconception of the integration authorities as a kind of "foreign students police" was successfully broken down.  A lot still need to be done, we are working on creating a website to inform this group of students about our intentions. Additional programmes are planned in cooperation with RAA and Arabian organisations.
  • Create a website with useful information such as shopping possibilities, travel possibilities , the availability of social and cultural events and other information (in Arabic).
  • Communication between students and non-students, eg through sport. Integration of foreign students in the community.
  • National and international exchange programmes to support integration eg: International Club FSV of the Karls �� University Prague: Visits and exchange of experiences.


Special projects:

  • Cafe Musica: This project already started successfully and supports integration though music. We are planing to develop this project in future.
  • International Soccer team: A new team with members from more than 13 countries. Sports support integration immensely, this team plays games against other teams and take part in tournaments, nationally and internationally, for example the annual ( B.A.R.T.) tournament.
  • International Theater group: a casual theater group managed by an experienced Marburg citizen.

Responsible: Dr. Uwe Grebe - Last Modified: 4. April 2006