Location
The European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) is located about 100 km east of the centre of Berlin, 500 km west of Warsaw, on the border between Germany and Poland and therefore at the present Eastern border of the European Union.
The university town Frankfurt (Oder) has a population of approximately 72,000 and is joined by a bridge over the Oder River to the neighbouring Polish town of Slubice with some 10,000 inhabitants.

The University
The European University is a young and modern university and with about 4 000 students; it is small and compact yet full of life thanks to the interdisciplinary and international profile and the wealth of cultural activities by students.
It is organised into three Faculties - the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics and Management and the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences.
Furthermore, the University has a Modern Language Centre. In addition, computing facilities and a well-equipped modern library are available to the students. Besides that, the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (Poland) and the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) jointly run the Collegium Polonicum in Slubice, a shared teaching and research centre.

International and Interdisciplinary Profile
Forty percent of the students come from abroad and study side by side with German students.
A high proportion of the teaching staff are foreign academics.
Students can choose to live in University accommodation on the right or the left bank of the Oder River, i.e. in Germany or in Poland.
In the individual subject fields, internationally oriented courses are particularly prominent.
Current challenges of the German-Polish border region can be experienced at first hand. In teaching and research the interdisciplinary orientation of the University is expressed in the increasing interconnection of the courses of study and in cross-subject research activities.

Academic Calendar
The academic year in Frankfurt (Oder) is divided into two semesters.

Winter Semester 1 October - 31 March
Summer Semester 1 April - 30 September

Every semester, the period in which classes are held is fourteen to fifteen weeks long. Classes generally begin in the middle of October and end towards the middle of February, and in the Summer Semester from mid-April to mid-July. In the Winter Semester the lecture period is interrupted by the Christmas vacation. An orientation week is held for new Students in the second week of October.

With the exception of the Christmas vacation, free periods are not identical to vacation. Examinations, written assignments or work experience can take place in the free periods.
For placements starting in the Winter Semester, the closing date for applications is the 15 July, and for placements starting in the Summer Semester it is the 15 January.

For more detailed information please check the university's homepage:
http://www.euv-frankfurt-o.de

Information for TIRES Exchange Students

Language Skills
Students should have adequate German language proficiency to be able to fully participate in lectures and seminars. A proof of good German language skills is required. During lecture periods, it is possible to assist in German language classes and to improve language skills in the multimedia language centre.

Academic Experience in TIRES related issues
TIRES exchange students should be interested in topics related to Transnationalsim, International Migration, Race, Ethnocentrism and the State. A proof of academic experience in TIRES related issues is required.

Programme of the Academic Year 2001/2002
Students can choose from a wide range of courses offered by the three faculties of the European University Viadrina (Law, Economics and Social and Cultural Sciences). The following table supplies an overview of some TIRES related seminars that are planned for the academic year 2001/02.

Visa Requirements
Students coming from the United States of America to Germany for a period longer than 90 days are required to apply for a visa at the German embassy (http://www.germany-info.org/f_index.html). Please note that a German visa is not valid for border crossings to Poland. (Further details can be obtained prior to departure by e-mail: aaa@euv-frankfurt-o.de or by telephone +49-335-5534-328).

Health Insurance
Medical insurance is compulsory for all students at German universities. Student medical insurance policies can be taken out at the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK) Frankfurt (Oder). It costs approximately 80 DM per month. Please note that this insurance coverage does not apply in Poland and additional medical insurance is recommended if you want to live or travel in Poland.
Personal accident insurance is included in the semester contribution (214 DM for one semester) which all students have to pay. Accidents which occur during the semester are covered by the matriculation.

Housing
Students can choose to live on both sides of the Oder River, in Slubice or in Frankfurt (Oder), in modern, well-equipped Halls of Residence. Applications should be directed as early as possible to the "Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder)". Contact: Tel: +49-335-56-50-90; Fax: +49-335-565-09-99; E-Mail: www.stdw-wohnen@euv-frankfurt-o.de

For more detailed information about TIRES exchange issues please contact:
tires@euv-frankfurt-o.de