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Welcome Day 2026
"We are doubly pleased today: that you have chosen us and that you are here today."
This is how Prof. Dr. Martin Butzlaff, President of UW/H, welcomed the new employees to the Welcome Day on 7 May 2026, which took place for the second time in this form. The aim of the day was to get to know the university and its culture.
Right from the start, video messages from all departments provided laughs and surprising insights. The reception was accompanied by music from the a cappella choir "UW/H Voices", which added to the good atmosphere with the "Wittenlied".
The value wheel - inspiration from the Executive Committee
One of the interactive items on the program was the value wheel: terms were selected at random and the Executive Board shared their personal thoughts on them. Dr Dirk Jakobs, Vice President for Organizational Development, for example, came up with the word "freedom" and emphasized that at UW/H you have the freedom to be who you really are. Prof. Dr. Jan Ehlers, Vice President for Teaching and Learning, picked up on the word "cafeteria" and praised it as one of the best cafeterias he had ever experienced. These and many other insights gave the new employees a vivid sense of the values and spirit of UW/H.
Discovering together
In a group task, the new colleagues also had the opportunity to discover commonalities and personal interests. Many small details got the participants talking: the joy of going for walks, shared experiences abroad or a love of sweets. Professional interests, vacation experiences and squirrels also provided topics of conversation.
Get to know the UW/H
At the speed dating event, nine central areas of the university presented their work: from the departments to administration and the works council to the Executive Board. This allowed the new colleagues to quickly make contacts and discover opportunities for collaboration.
A resounding conclusion
UW/H is much more than just a place to work. It offers the space to get actively involved beyond your studies and career, to live out your own talents and to help shape cultural life on campus: Bettina Meiners, dentistry student and opera singer, performed together with Alexander Jakobidze-Gitman on the piano. University music director Ingo Ernst Reihl also presented the work of the choir and orchestra and gave an insight into the university's musical projects.
"You can see how much time, discipline and love went into this day."
UW/H President Prof. Dr. Martin Butzlaff thanked Stefanie Krischnak, Hannah Kurzer and Matthias Dreischulte from the HR department for their great preparatory work. A get-together with finger food, to which existing employees were also cordially invited, rounded off the day. The new and "old" colleagues were able to get to know each other better in a relaxed atmosphere - and lasting memories were created with the photo box. The Welcome Day proves it: Those who start at UW/H quickly become part of a lively and open community - and rarely stay "new" for long.
