deutsch deutsch
english english

International University Week 2026 – Democracy and Human Rights


Video IUW Jena – © Rebecca Pohl und Benjamin Pohl

 

Welcome to the IUW at Jena University of Applied Sciences – April 2026
From April 19–24, 2026, we are happy to welcome around 60 international students, our hosting students, as well as a number of international lecturers to Germany at Jena University of Applied Sciences (Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule or EAH), right in the center of Germany.
We are looking forward to an inspiring week filled with lectures, workshops, cultural exchange, and activities as part of SOCNET98, the European network of social work universities.
If you are an international student or lecturer and interested in joining, you will find useful information below to help you prepare and get the most out of this unique international week.
If you are a student at the EAH, you will find information on how to participate at the end of this side in German.

Programme

At the IUW 2026 our focus will be on Democracy and Human Rights, key values of social work practice across cultures and contexts.
Throughout the week, participants will engage in a dynamic and hands-on program built around 3 interactive workshops, field trips, a group excursion and an outdoor adventure. The goal is to explore the topic from multiple perspectives, encourage critical reflection, and foster meaningful conversations among international students and educators.
More details on the workshop topics and excursion plans will be shared soon—stay tuned!
Links to:

  • Itinerary of the IUW 2026 Jena (coming soon)
  • Description of the workshops (coming soon)
  • Campusmap Jena

 

Accomendation

For Students

Hostel: Alpha One Hostel Jena
Fee for students:

The IUW fee of approx. 200 € per student will cover:

  • Accommodation at the hostel Sunday – Friday (bed in dormatory (shared bedroom) otherwise slightly more expensive)
  • Public transport for the field trip and the excursion
  • Excursion to Buchenwald Memorial (former concentration camp)
  • Outdoor activity
  • Coffee and tea between the workshops
  • Lunch at the EAH (2x)

For Faculty staff

Faculty staff are welcome to register for the IUW using the registration form on our website. However, accommodation must be booked directly with Hotel „Zur Noll“.
To receive the special rate, please:

  • Mention the keyword: International University Week when booking
  • Make your reservation latest by February 10, 2026

Accommodation Details:
We’ve reserved 20 single rooms. Each guest will handle their own booking and payment, and is responsible for managing their individual reservation.

  • Room rate (without breakfast): €75/€83 per night (single room/comfort single room)
  • Optional breakfast: €14 per person, per day
  • Cancellation policy: Free cancellation up to 1 day before arrival, as long as each guest books and cancels their own reservation.

Check-in: From 14:00
Check-out: By 11:00
Contact: Tel. +49 3641-59770 / kontakt@zurnoll.de

 

Transport to Jena

Arriving by plane + train

Via Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).
From there, you can travel to Jena by train:

  1. Train from Berlin to Erfurt
    Take a train with either

    to Erfurt Hauptbahnhof (Erfurt Hbf) – travel time is approximately 2 hours.
    (Note: You may first need to transfer to a Berlin station such as Berlin Südkreuz or Berlin Hauptbahnhof.)

  2. Train from Erfurt to Jena
    From Erfurt Hbf, take a regional train to Jena West. Options include:

    • RE3
    • RE1
    • RB21

    These can also be booked through the DB website.

Via Frankfurt (Main) Airport
From Frankfurt, the journey to Jena takes a bit longer but is just as straightforward:

  1. Train to Erfurt or Jena
    • First, travel to Frankfurt(Main) Hauptbahnhof (main station) – several local train options are available.
    • From there, take a high-speed ICE train to Erfurt (~2.5–3 hours), then change to a regional train to Jena West.
    • Alternatively, there’s a route with just one transfer in Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe (~4h 22min).
  2. By Bus
    You can also take a FlixBus directly from Frankfurt Airport to Jena Bus Station (~4–5 hours).

Train Travel Tips

  • There are frequent train connections throughout the day from Berlin and Frankfurt, so you can easily match your train journey to your flight schedule.
  • Be sure to allow enough time to collect your luggage before boarding your train.
  • If you book all your train connections together (e.g., on the DB website/app) and experience delays, you’re usually allowed to take the next available train at no extra cost.

Helpful App:
Download the DB Navigator App to check train times, tickets, platform info, and alternative connections.

Arriving by Car or Bus

  • Long-distance buses (like FlixBus) also offer affordable connections to Jena.
  • Alternatively, you can explore carpooling platforms or drive yourself.

 

Contact

Frederik von Harbou, Foto: privat
Foto: privat 		Frederik von Harbou
Responsible for the Department of Social Work and the International University Week (IUW)
iuw2026@eah-jena.de
Daniel Stieger
Foto: privat 		Daniel Stieger
Student Assistent for the International University Week 2026 (IUW)
iuw2026@eah-jena.de
Felicitas Borgas
Foto: privat 		Felicitas Borgas
Student Assistent for the International University Week 2026 (IUW)
iuw2026@eah-jena.de
Nacy Reichel
Responsible for financing matters and Learning Agreements (Erasmus)
auslandsamt@eah-jena.de
Dr. Danny von Nordheim
Responsible for financing matters and Learning Agreements (Erasmus)
auslandsamt@eah-jena.de

 

Für Studierende der EAH:

Mitmachen bei der IUW 2026

Du möchtest die International University Week (IUW) 2026 aktiv mitgestalten und im April dabei sein? Dann werde Teil dieses besonderen Projekts!
Im Wintersemester 2025/26 kannst du dich über Stud.IP im Modul 1.213 – Wahlpflichtfach I für das Seminar „IUW 2026“ anmelden.
Was dich erwartet:

  • Du gestaltest die Woche aktiv mit und hilfst bei der Organisation.
  • Du begrüßt internationale Gäste in Jena und erlebst interkulturellen Austausch hautnah.
  • Du knüpfst neue Kontakte zu Studierenden und Lehrenden aus ganz Europa.
  • Du erweiterst deinen Horizont zum Thema „Democracy and Human Rights“.
  • Und ganz nebenbei verbesserst du dein Englisch in einer lebendigen, praxisnahen Umgebung.

Die Teilnahme steht Studierenden aus dem Fachbereich Sozialwesen offen.

Skip to content