Matthias Scheer works on the second floor of Building 10 in the IT department for the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. As far as that goes, it's nothing out of the ordinary. However, if the elevator breaks down, he goes home again - because he is dependent on a wheelchair and therefore also on the elevator to get to the office. He tells us how he copes with a normal working day.

The answer to this question is just that: diverse! It depends on the context in which the word is considered. It depends on what focus is to be placed on its meaning. At universities, diversity means that a variety of university members interact with each other, exchange ideas, influence each other, but also their environment, and learn and develop from and with each other. We asked around campus: What does diversity mean to you? The answers were varied and open up completely different perspectives on diversity.

Since the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the topic of inclusion has gained momentum. In cooperation with the Pfeiffer Foundations in Magdeburg, the inclusive continuing education program, “Workshop Uni” was launched in the summer semester. This is aimed at adults working in sheltered workshops and teaching staff. Moreover, as part of the project, students help develop new inclusive adult and continuing education formats and materials.

To find solutions for the complex problems of our times, increasingly often there needs to be cooperation between different disciplines. There are many examples of such collaborations at the University of Magdeburg. Research Training Group 2408 in the Faculty of Medicine is one of them. The scientists explain what working in an international and interdisciplinary team is like, what they are working on together and what the challenges are that they currently face.

Scientists from all over the world come to Magdeburg University again and again thanks to an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. Currently, Prof. Dr. Evangelos Tsotsas at the Institute of Process Engineering of the Faculty of Process and Systems Engineering is hosting Dr. Stutee Bhoi from India. Lisa Baaske spoke with the Humboldt Fellow about her research, her goals about Magdeburg and what it means to her to be a Humboldtian.

Rarely has humanity faced so many challenges at once. The list of global crisis issues is long. Climate change and the Corona pandemic alone are affecting how we live, research and work. The war in Ukraine and its economic consequences are also currently turning industry upside down. Process engineers at the University of Magdeburg are therefore researching how CO2-neutral microwave technology can be used for industrial purposes.

When Yash Ankurbhai Shah arrived in Magdeburg from India in 2018 to study for a Master’s degree at the university, he probably did not imagine that he would end up being solely responsible for running the RIA Buddy Program. His many years of voluntary work and outstanding academic achievements have not gone unnoticed. This year, the student was honored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

In 2019 around 40 per cent of Germans over 14 years of age took part in voluntary work in society. From assistance for refugees, care of senior citizens, animal protection and youth work through to the voluntary fire brigade, their activities were many and varied. One of these people is Ulrike Schmidt, who works in the student secretariat in the International Students’ Office at the University of Magdeburg. During her free time she volunteers in the Magdeburg district of Buckau.

If Germany wants to achieve its climate targets and become climate-neutral by 2045, wind power and photovoltaics must be expanded much more quickly and comprehensively than before. Environmental psychologist Prof. Ellen Matthies is investigating how this energy turnaround can succeed. She knows that only with the right communication can fear of loss be overcome and people become enthusiastic about change.

One could hardly wish for a better student to embody the motto, ‘Rethinking the world together’ than Akram Elborashi. As an Egyptian medical student with, at times, a record FOUR jobs at the university, he shows how one person can have a positive influence on life for foreign students all over Magdeburg. This is because alongside his medical studies, he is also committed to helping international students and communities in the city.