Family

The Viadrina is a family-friendly university where students and employees with caring responsibilities are welcome and receive support. The Family Affairs Officer advises students and employees with child(ren) and relatives in need of care on all questions relating to the compatibility of studies or work and family.

 

The tasks of the Family Affairs Office include:

• Counselling for students and employees with children and relatives in need of care
• Designing and implementing family-friendly measures at the Viadrina
• Communication with project partners inside and outside the university
• Arranging childcare
• Organisation and implementation of workshops and events for university members with family responsibilities
• Cooperation with the Gender Equality Office / participation in the Equal Opportunities Council

 

The VCGS and the Family Affairs Office invite researchers to a coffee talk:

On 18 June from 1 pm to 2 pm, Steffi Tetzlaff (Human Resources Department) and Björn Grötzner (VCGS) will give you an online overview of the provisions of the WissZeitVG, taking into account the service agreement on the design of employment contracts for academic staff at the Viadrina. Family Affairs Officer Nadine Arnold will provide information on the specific policies for researchers with caregiving responsibilities, as well as the services offered by the Family Office. Please find further information and the registration link here.

 

Dementia Care Course Series - Learn more about dementia and how to interact appropriately with affected family members.

The “Family and University in Brandenburg” network is offering a free four-part care course series on the topic of dementia. The sessions build upon one another and are led by Marina Dillmann, who shares insights from her many years of experience supporting people with dementia and their families.

Course Topics

• Symptoms of dementia
• Causes and diagnosis
• Treatment options
• Communication with people living with dementia
• Managing challenging behaviors such as withdrawal, aggression, or restlessness
• Support and relief options for family caregivers

The sessions will take place online (presumably via BigBlueButton) from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following dates:

November 4, 2026
November 11, 2026
November 18, 2026
November 25, 2026
About the Speaker: Marina Dillmann is a psychological counselor and psychotherapist (licensed under the German HPG system), freelance occupational therapist, and seminar instructor specializing in gerontology, relaxation techniques, and communication training. For more than twenty years, she has specialized in the care and treatment of people living with dementia. As an expert in this field, she supports, educates, trains, and raises awareness among people in both professional and personal settings. Through the DERINA Educational Workshop, which she founded, she offers seminars for professionals, families, people affected by dementia, and anyone who simply wishes to gain a better understanding of the condition.

Registration
If you are interested, please register with the Family Affairs Office by June 19, 2026, at: familie@europa-uni.de.