1500 new students enrolled for winter semester 2025/26, 1080 of which are freshers. The proportion of students from other states of Germany amounts to 60 %, with approximately 30 % of the students coming from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The degree courses Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy were once again the most popular.
In her address to the new students, Rector Prof. Dr. Katharina Riedel stressed the importance of this new chapter in the students’ lives: “Today marks the start of a new phase in your life, between what is familiar and what is new, between school and academia, between where you come from and where you are headed.” She went on to highlight the current challenges and stressed that the University is a place where knowledge is fostered and solutions to the issues of today are developed. “If you find yourself asking where you can make a contribution, then it is exactly here that you can make a start: with your curiosity, your courage and your determination to learn and research. Trust in the future does not mean problems should be denied – it means keeping the faith that it is worthwhile working together to find solutions.”
129 students from 52 countries have also enrolled at the University for the first time in winter semester. This means that a total of 844 students from 101 countries are currently studying in Greifswald.
Minister of Science Bettina Martin praised the University’s international orientation in her address: “By deciding to study at the University of Greifswald, the new students have chosen a first-class study location. Excellent study conditions, a beautiful town as a place to study and close international relations, especially in the Baltic Sea region, make the University stand out,” she said. “I am delighted that so many young people come to Greifswald to study, I welcome you all and would like to wish you success, enjoyment and also the required level of perseverance for the coming years at the University of Greifswald.”
The new Mayor’s Award was presented for the first time during the Opening Ceremony. The Award was presented to Katrin Veronika Wiese, student of the master’s degree course Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution. In her master’s dissertation, she used the Ryck as an example to investigate how small rivers transport floating waste into the Baltic Sea. The Mayor introduced the Award to honour outstanding pieces of academic work that are closely related to the town of Greifswald and its surroundings.
The official ceremony was followed by the traditional Welcoming Fair on the square beside the cathedral that was jointly organised by the University and the town. This commenced with the symbolic tapping of a beer keg. Several stalls provided freshers and their relatives with information on life and studying in Greifswald.
Prior to the Opening Ceremony, Freshers’ Week gave the new students the opportunity to get to know the campuses, their fellow students, and the town. A special thank you must go to the Students' Union (AStA), who organised a comprehensive welcoming and information programme.
Contact at the University of Greifswald
Jan Meßerschmidt
Deputy Press Officer
Domstraße 11, Entrance 2, 17489 Greifswald
Tel: +49 3834 420 1150
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