Inside Gauss Haus: Where are we now?

Inside Gauss Haus: Where are we now?

For 13 years, the Gauss Friends have been committed to promoting international understanding in Braunschweig and creating cultural access to scientific topics. Shortly before the 10th anniversary, it was possible to establish a university connection by locating the Gauss Haus Project at Faculty 6. 

The unique cooperation between the association (initiators of the concept), the AStA department for international students, the AStA department for international affairs (representation of the student body), the Gauss Haus Project (representation of the university staff) and the association Alumni Braunschweig International (representation of the international alumni) enabled us to develop a demand-oriented support offer for German and international students. Never before had we had an extensive numerous program in the Gauss Haus. Our country evenings have become a meeting platform of a special kind. The Gauss Haus is not an international club in the classical sense, but a place with soul: the Gauss Haus means a symbolic host who understood science and culture as complementary elements, a venue rich in tradition in a historic half-timbered house with a special flair, and the idea of interpreting intercultural encounter not as a career advantage but as an opportunity for personal enrichment.  

In 2019, this concept was awarded the FFO-Prize for excellent support of foreign students in Germany (you can find out more about the path to the prize here). 

Did we achieve our goal with this?

No. We didn’t just want to become excellent, we wanted to achieve the best support in Germany. This award brought us a lot of hope to reach our next goals: The permanent implementation of the Gauss Haus Project at the university. However, the effort to make the Gauss Haus Project permanent at TU Braunschweig failed.

The search for bilateral talks to continue the Gauss Haus project were refused and the promise to develop a common concept was not fulfilled. Appreciation of our work by the former president and acting president, praise from other universities, and the award of a national prize were not enough to continue the project at the university. Instead, a project with more funding and less impact will be funded. 

 

 

Does TU Braunschweig’s decision mean the end of our vision or a new start?

Find out the answer on our next article.