At age 17, Jinan Sakaan came from Syria to Germany without any German language knowledge Today, she is studying business administration at THWS, works with a bank - and uses her personal experience to support refugees when they first arrive in Germany.
What needs do students have who arrive as refugees in Germany? What challenges must prospective students tackle in a country of which they do not speak the language? These are questions, both the student coordinator of the THWS Welcome Team, Annalena Hierhammer and Katja Haas, can now answer thanks to their years of experience working in this area. THWS-student Jinan Sakaan has experienced this situation first-hand is now trying to use her knowledge and personal experience to support refugees in Würzburg.
A time of waiting
When Jinan Sakaan was 17 years old, she and her family fled from Aleppo, Syria, to Germany. The family had no concrete destination in Germany, no contact point. By chance, Jinan, her parents and her older brother came to a collective living quarter in Kitzingen. For about a month, they had shared a large hall with numerous other refugees until they moved to a house in Kitzingen with three other families. For Jinan and her family this time was characterised by waiting. Until all bureaucratic processes were completed, they could not work nor study in Germany. “We had to wait for almost nine months and could not do anything”, she says. “We were already in school, but not in an official school but an integration course to learn German.”
When Jinan arrived in Germany, she did not speak a single word of German. Today, after seven years in Germany, she has an extensive vocabulary and is not at all afraid of speaking German. Linguistic talent runs in Jinan’s family: Her mother spoke six languages and her older brother learnt new languages even quicker than herself, Jinan says with a laugh. When it became clear that Jinan and her family could stay in Germany, they found a flat in Höchberg, where they are still living today.
As her German knowledge was improving, Jinan started to inform herself about her professional future. She first considered an apprenticeship and applied for an internship in the field of dental technology. “But then I said to myself: What if I ask myself in ten years: Why did I not study?”
Thus, her decision to study was made. In her temporary job at s.Oliver, where she worked while attending the language course, she developed an interest in economic correlations and discovered her communication skills. "I realised that I am sociable", she says. "The degree programme Business Administration opens up numerous possibilities."
Jinan discovered that international students could start their studies at THWS already with level B2. At many other higher education institutions, the requirement would have been C1, she says. Thus, she decided to study Business Administration at THWS. Jinan still completed her language course with the C1-certificate. “I desperately wanted the C1-certificate”, so Jinan. The way she says it makes it sound like a trifle.
Passing on personal experiences
In the beginning, Jinan had to face a few challenges regarding organisational topics of her studies. She often depended on help. That is one of the reasons she decided to join the Welcome Team as student assistant. Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Welcome Team offers counselling and support for refugees at THWS. “What is special about the Welcome Team is that we are a student project that only consists of THWS students,” explains Katja Haas, who has been responsible for the coordination of the Welcome Team for around two years, and who collaborated closely with Jinan.
Since 2016, the Welcome Team of THWS has supported prospective students with requests, the application process, and financial questions. The team organises offers like the Language Café or language tutorials for students with a refugee background. During her time in the Welcome Team, Jinan played a major part in establishing the Language Café. “Jinan could help with problems in the Language Café, Katja and I as German natives could not even imagine”, reports Annalena Hierhammer, who coordinates the team together with Katja Haas. Jinan could draw on her own experiences for the course. “You learn best when listening and of course practising”, she says “You must not be afraid of making mistakes. I also make mistakes, of course my German is not perfect but I always have the courage to speak.”
Jinan worked for the Welcome Team for eight hours per week. She still found time in addition to her studies to show up as a volunteer for other refugees. In the Paritätische, she got involved as interpreter and cultural mediator and supported refugees for example during appointments at authorities and the doctor’s. Her commitment did not stay hidden from her colleagues in the Welcome Team. So they convinced Jinan to apply for the DAAD prize. With mentioning the prize, a radiating smile appears on Jinan’s face. “I could not not believe it and still I cannot believe it”, she says about the moment she learnt that she had won the prize coming with a prize money of 1,000 euro. The DAAD award shall honour international students at German higher education institutions, and was thus not only in the eyes’ of Jinans colleagues, Annalena Hierhammer and Katja Haas, awarded to just the right person.
Future and past in mind
Still today, Jinan is very happy about her choice of study. She chose financial services and tax as her focus areas. In the winter semester 2021/22, she completed her internship with the Hypovereinsbank, where she was warmly welcomed. Her enthusiasm is still tangible. “I just love finances”, she says radiating with joy. During the lectures with Professor Franz-Josef Eichhorn, she had discovered her passion for finances. After completing her internship, she continued working for the bank, and now works there as a working student for two days per week. “I am working in the wealth management department, and I love the combination of working with clients and documents.”
The 24-year-old can well imagine entering working life after completing her degree in finances and investment. But first she wants to complete a Master’s. “I will study for as long as I can”, she laughs. She would prefer continuing her studies at THWS, also because Würzburg has become her new home. “I love every corner of Würzburg. I do miss my home country, but I feel home here.” Jinan and her family still live in Höchberg, but on two floors by now. She shares the lower floor with her older brother, who is studying e-commerce at THWS. Her parents live on the upper floor. “This is practical as I can always steal food from my parents”, she laughs.
Jinan still has contact with her family and friends in Syria. Her uncle and cousins live there, and also her best friend, with whom she regularly talks on the phone. Just like Jinan, she wants to study in Germany, but financing and coming to Germany would pose a big obstacle. Jinan and her family were travelling for two weeks until they reached Germany. “Back then, we tried literally everything”, she says. “A lot of it I can never forget but you always have to look ahead.”
And Jinan does look ahead, with her studies, her new side job and her plans for the Master’s degree programme. But by her commitment, the 24-year-old also shows that she has not forgotten her path there – and that she now wants to support others who want to find their way in Germany.
Information on the Welcome Project at THWS and other offers for refugees
![[Translate to Englisch:] Portrait Nina Kammleiter](/fileadmin/redaktion/bildmaterial/Hochschulmagazin/Autorinnen-Fotos/Ausgabe-2-1/Portrait-Kammleiter-Nina.png "[Translate to Englisch:] Portrait Nina Kammleiter")