Peer support: Engaging more actively as a student

Many advisory, networking and mentoring services at LMU rely on volunteer work by students. These support new or international students when they arrive, assist students with disabilities or help shape university life.

Student Council

The LMU Student Council represents students' interests regarding university politics as well as everyday life at university. Members are elected to the Council, who then get to collaborate in working groups. The Council functions as the first contact for students with questions of all kinds — especially for those who are new.

The faculty representation is part of this Council. This body is responsible for coordinating students in their respective subject area and making them aware of the various initiatives available to them (organizing scripts, counseling, first semester introductions, and much more).

Contact

LMU Buddy Program

The International Office offers LMU students the opportunity to become an LMU Buddy for international study program students.

As an LMU Buddy, you can help students from all over the world to settle in and get around at LMU, while you gain first-hand intercultural experience in Munich.

If you have any questions or suggestions, you can always send us an email or a message to our Instagram account buddylmu.

Our photo competition for the winter semester 2023/24 has ended. The deadline for submissions in the summer semester 2024 will be published shortly.
Please note our conditions of participation (PDF, 116 KB).

  • You gather important international experience.
  • You develop intercultural competence.
  • You often develop long-term friendships that last beyond the LMU Buddy Program.
  • You receive — at the end of the semester — a confirmation of your voluntary work, which may be valuable in further job applications.

If you are interested in different cultures and like to meet new students, you've found your perfect match with us! A good LMU Buddy is not only committed but also has certain skills and core qualifications. They are:

  • Open-minded towards other people and cultures
  • Interested in intercultural learning
  • Willing to take time for their Buddy
  • As an LMU Buddy, you participate in both an introductory course and the final evaluation.
    (These meetings are also obligatory to receive a certificate of participation!)

The LMU Buddy Program is NOT a language tandem program. But if buddies would like to set up a tandem (independently of us), they are more than welcome. Usually, communication between buddies is in English or German.

Introductory course: To participate in the LMU Buddy Program, you must attend an introductory course once. These take place at the end of the semester or during the semester break. You will find the dates for these listed further below.

Allocation: The team responsible for the LMU Buddy Program allocate buddies during the semester break. Approximately three to four weeks before your lectures start, we will inform you by email regarding your buddy's name, country of origin and email address. Please note though that we can't promise you will get a buddy from your "desired country." Your buddy will receive your name and email address from us so that he/she can get in touch with you.

First contact: In your initial email you should introduce yourself (name, subjects, hobbies, etc.) and immediately show that you are interested in meeting your buddy in person.

Medical students have a separate Buddy Program. Please contact the International Office responsible for Medicine.

You can easily register online.

For the summer semester 2024 a large number of mentoring students have already applied, therefore we cannot consider any more applications.
The registration portal will open in June for the winter semester 2024/25.

If you have any questions, please contact us by email.

Introductory course and training

There are always three introductory courses for the LMU Buddy Program in the beginning of each semester (online, via Zoom). If you are participating for the first time, you must attend one of these dates.

Type of eventDatePlace
Introductory course13 March 2024, 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.Zoom
Introductory course14 March 2024, 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.Zoom
Introductory course26 March 2024, 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.Zoom
Intercultural training for LMU buddiestbatba

Student clubs and university groups

In addition to participating in these initiatives — which are centrally managed by LMU — you can, of course, also volunteer for one of the many student university groups such as country-specific groups, social or religious initiatives, or student magazines.

Europa macht Schule

Europa macht Schule brings Europe into the classroom: In this initiative — which takes place Germany-wide — European exchange students present their home country at German schools in a project they can design themselves. The project targets exchange students of all subject areas and multiple school types. By volunteering, students can gain experience in the areas of teamwork, project management and intercultural competence.

What is special about this initiative is the enthusiasm that all participants show when it comes to building bridges. European students spending a semester abroad can establish contacts with German pupils and students as well as with the schools and teachers involved. Through projects such as this, different European lifestyles and educational systems come a tiny bit closer to one another. Europa macht Schule brings European exchanges to life in Munich's classrooms.en Austausch auch in Münchner Klassenzimmern erfahrbar.

Contact and further information: muenchen@europamachtschule.de

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