BIDS - International partner schools
General information on Viadrina's school partnerships
With the aim of attracting students to study in Frankfurt (Oder), Viadrina cooperates with PASCH-net schools as well as German Schools Abroad and German Language Diploma schools (DSD) in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus - Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
Co-operation with German Schools Abroad and PASCH-Schools
Betreuungsinitiative Deutsche Auslands- und PartnerSchulen (BIDS)
BIDS "Student for a Week"-programme (Schnupperstudium) for PASCH students 2025
This year's BIDS "Student for a Week"-programme in Frankfurt (Oder) will take place from 04.07. to 10.07.2025.
Would you like to get to know the European University Viadrina on site and in person? Apply for our 2025 "Student for a Week"-programme (Schnupperstudium) by 25.05.2025 via our online portal.
If you have any questions, please contact bids@europa-uni.de.
In 2008, the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany launched the partner school initiative "Schools: Partners for the Future" (PASCH) with the aim of intensifying cooperation with schools abroad and establishing German as a foreign language as an integral part of the curriculum in the respective countries. The "Betreuungsinitiative Deutsche Auslands- und PartnerSchulen" (BIDS), which is organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), forms an essential part of the PASCH initiative.
The BIDS project strengthens cooperation between universities and German Schools Abroad and German Language Diploma (DSD) schools. For example, the DAAD also supports our university's own BIDS project "Perspektive Viadrina". As part of this, we cooperate in particular with German Schools Abroad and German Language Diploma schools in Armenia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Poland, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
What does the "Perspective Viadrina" offer?
With the help of BIDS, graduates of PASCH schools are supported in their transition to studying in Germany. An important basic prerequisite for graduates of PASCH schools from the programme countries to start and successfully complete their higher education is the ability to finance their studies and life in Germany. The so called motivation scholarships are an incentive for particularly high-performing PASCH graduates to start their studies in Germany.
These motivation scholarships are awarded to graduates of Language Diploma Schools and German Schools Abroad and target students in their first year at university.
The European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) offers numerous other scholarships. You can find more detailed information about Viadrina scholarships and the application requirements on our scholarship page.
In order to provide extensive information about the European University Viadrina, we and our students, the so-called International Viadrina Ambassadors, visit schools and present our Viadrina. Since September 2008, we have visited numerous partner schools in Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
We are also represented at various education fairs, where you can meet us in person and ask your individual questions about studying at Viadrina.
In addition to the general Central Student Advisory Service, Viadrina also has a special contact person for students from German Schools Abroad and German Language Diploma schools. This person can help with all questions regarding degree programmes, applications, scholarships, etc. - also digitally from Frankfurt (Oder) to anywhere in the world.
Contact: Natalie Klyk
We also provide intensive support for foreign students during their studies. If you have any questions or difficulties, you can contact us at any time.
We have summarised a lot of important information in our BB-BIDS brochure in PDF format. Available in various languages:
The Viadrina endeavours to provide equal opportunities for students and staff and sees itself as a university that places particular importance on diversity and heterogeneity. At the same time, various measures are used to reduce discrimination and create a more diverse academic and work culture. Together with the various project coordinators, the Equal Opportunity Department develops strategies and programmes to promote the development of a diversity-sensitive and anti-discriminatory university culture.
Inclusion in the case of health impairments
The Barrier-free Advice Centre is also available to BIDS programme participants and aims to ensure that participants with chronic illnesses or disabilities can also successfully take part in the programmes.
Please do not hesitate to disclose any health impairments when applying.
Internationality of the Viadrina
When selecting the scholarship holders, attention is paid to a balance of programme countries and geographical distribution within the countries away from the major centres.
Gender equality
In the selection of scholarship holders - motivation scholarship and taster programme - attention is paid to gender balance.
In the past, the selection process for the taster programme has shown that parents or guardians express safety concerns (during travel and participation), especially for female participants - we address these concerns with the continuous support and supervision of our participants.
Family challenges - first-time graduates & care work
The European University Viadrina works closely with the "Arbeiterkind" initiative, which supports students from non-academic families at the Viadrina. It assists first-generation academics with their specific challenges in order to improve equal opportunities for a successful graduation. When applying for the scholarships - motivation scholarship and Schnupperstudium programme - students are encouraged to disclose if they are first-generation academics.
As participants in the taster programme are usually very young, they are usually not burdened with care work. Nevertheless, we endeavour to draw attention to this aspect and, if necessary, provide assistance in cooperation with the Equal Opportunities Coordination Office.
Are you a study and career counselor at your school and need information material? Please contact us and we will send you the requested material.
You can also download our BB-BIDS brochure yourself (PDF). It contains a lot of important information.
Are you planning a school trip to the Berlin/Brandenburg region and would like to show your pupils a German university? You and your students are always welcome at the Viadrina. Just get in touch with us.
Have you heard about the partner school project "Perspektive Viadrina" and would like to know how your school can take part? Please get in touch with us.
Teaching BIDS
We are pleased to host the annual BIDS conference for PASCH German teachers at the European University Viadrina. A great opportunity for German teachers to exchange ideas.
What you can expect:
- A varied programme
- Free participation
- Free accommodation in the student residences
- Delicious catering
Student for a Week (Schnupperstudium)
Student for a Week (Schnupperstudium)
As part of "Perspektive Viadrina", we do not only visit schools in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine and present the European University Viadrina there - we also invite high school students to Frankfurt (Oder) once a year so that they can see the Viadrina for themselves.
Since 2008, we have been welcoming around 20 final-year students from PASCH schools to Frankfurt (Oder) every year. For one week, prospective high school graduates have the opportunity to get a first-hand impression of everyday life at our university. They can also find out about the wide range of courses offered at Viadrina.
The next in-person Student for a Week programme (Schnupperstudium) is expected to take place in June 2025.
We will publish further information on how to apply at the beginning of the year.
We offer high school students the opportunity to:
- ... discover the university campus as well as the cities of Cottbus and Senftenberg, Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice and the surrounding area;
- ... find out about our wide range of degree programmes;
- ... attend academic courses;
- ... meet Viadrina students;
- ... meet students from all over the world at Viadrina's International Day;
- ... take part in intercultural workshops and writing workshops;
- ... go on excursions in the surrounding area, especially to Berlin;
For the duration of the programme, the participants are accommodated in student dorms. The European University Viadrina covers the costs for travel, catering and accommodation during programme.
For the duration of the programme, you will all be accommodated as a group in the student residence of the Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Słubice on the Polish side of the river Oder.
The accommodation is separated by gender in single or twin rooms.
The dormitory facilities include:
- Bed linen and towels
- WiFi access
- There are single and double rooms
- You can use the communal kitchens
- There is a fitness room
- Optional extra nights can be booked (at your own expense).
The European University Viadrina covers the costs for the duration of the programme.
During the programme, we generally cover the costs for breakfast, lunch and dinner (individual meals may be omitted due to the programme).
Breakfast
Every day there is a breakfast buffet from 07.30 - 08.30
Drinks are included (coffee tea juice)
Lunch
From Monday to Friday, we provide you with lunch in our canteen.
The canteen offers four different hot dishes every day, at least two of which are vegetarian or vegan. You can often choose individual components within a dish, e.g. fish with potatoes or rice. There is also a salad bar.
Dinner
On some evenings we offer an evening programme including a hot dinner. On the evenings when you have free time, you can arrange for your own dinner.
The programme is well structured and organised; in addition to the activities and the general programme, we are available for the students the whole time and help with any problems they may have.
However, scholarship holders should be independent and have a sense of responsibility, as this is part of the learning experience of the DAAD Student for a Week programme.
We endeavour to pick up students from the airport and/or train station and accompany them to their accommodation - but cannot guarantee this. We will however always inform students about the best travel options.
Frankfurt (Oder) is generally a very safe city - in the last 20 years of the BIDS programme, there have been no incidents that have caused concern.
A co-operation of:
