Whether Konrad Zuse, Joseph Weizenbaum or former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt: they have all been guests at the International Student Week in Ilmenau (ISWI), the largest student festival of its kind in Germany. Every two years since 1993, it has transformed Ilmenau into a center of living diversity and international encounters - and this year is no exception. For ten days, 220 young people from over 90 nations exchanged ideas with each other and with speakers under the event motto "Sharing power, giving opportunities and enabling participation" and got to know and love the university town, Thuringia and Germany.
What happens and what it feels like when people with diverse backgrounds and experiences work towards a common goal, exchange opinions and ideas and turn strangers into friends became tangible at ISWI 2025 from 12 to 21 June on the campus of Technische Universität Ilmenau: The conference is organized every two years by the Initiative Solidarische Welt Ilmenau, a student association that promotes international understanding, peace and tolerance.
"Bringing unique perspectives to the discussion"
"ISWI was awesome!" says Debby Shintya, ISWI participant from Indonesia. During the conference, she stayed with the family of her sister Mira, who herself came to Ilmenau many years ago as a student at ISWI - and stayed. Sister Debby was also enthusiastic about this year's conference. In lectures, discussion panels and a total of 15 working groups - the heart of the ISWI - the students dealt with different aspects of the main theme "Sharing power, giving opportunities and enabling participation". While other groups dealt with concepts such as sustainable and fair business or tried to develop the ideal education system, Debby and 13 other young people discussed the influence of the media on our society.
I was so happy to be able to participate in it as I made new friends from many different parts of the world. They brought unique perspectives to our discussions and I learned to understand and appreciate those differences.
They didn't just talk about a wide range of challenges, Debby recalls. The students also worked together to find solutions:
Mansor and Deylem, our group leader, was very open-minded and skilled at moderating the different viewpoints during our group discussions.
Exploring the streets and its hidden gems
The participants also carried their enthusiasm into the city: at the World Food Festival and an international carnival, a wide variety of traditional clothing, dishes, dances and sounds merged into a unique musical and culinary experience. Conversely, many Ilmenau residents and former students were also drawn to the Games Night, the intercultural Dance Night and the big ISWI Open Air Festival on campus - an unforgettable experience for Ana Martinez from Costa Rica:
Being part of ISWI was one of the most enriching experiences of my life - not only because I was able to enjoy the beauty of Germany, but also because I had the opportunity to connect with wonderful people from all over the world. We participated in wonderful activities like Open Air Night and Art Night, but it was also wonderful to enjoy exploring the streets of Ilmenau and its hidden gems, like the Thruingian sausages (I'll never be tired of them!).
"The feeling of belonging to the family"
These experiences were made possible by a dedicated student organization team as well as many people from Ilmenau, students and employees of the university, as Nick Faulwetter from ISWI e.V. reports:
Despite the challenges we faced from the public order office shortly before the student week, we were able to hold the events successfully. Our special thanks go to the hosts, who once again provided sleeping accommodation for the participants this year. We are also very grateful to the many helpers, sponsors, associations and the TU Ilmenau, as the ISWI would not have been possible without their support.
Ummara Sheraz, Master's graduate in Media and Communication Sciences and co-organizer of the ISWI, adds:
The enthusiasm and openness were integral to the event’s success and the inviting atmosphere we created during this unforgettable week.
This is also the feeling that politics student Ana Martinez is taking home with her to San José:
A big part of what made this ISWI experience wonderful was definitely our hosts. From day one, they welcomed us with such warmth and made us feel like family. I fell in love with this country, so I definitely want to come back.
ISWI 2025: Impressions
