About Weitblick
As a student initiative, Weitblick e.V. wants to offer students of all disciplines the opportunity to get engage in social activities alongside their studies and to use their own knowledge, talents and skills for social projects. The focus of our work is the commitment to a fairer access to education.
The project “Uni baut Uni”
In April 2013 the associations of Weitblick from Münster and Kiel decided to support the construction of a campus in the Beninese town of Djavi (near Porto Novo) and to finance it under the project name "Uni baut Uni" (UbU). Through the partner organisation pro dogbo e.V. in Benin, West Africa, contact was established between a Weitblick travel group and some students from the INJEPS Institute (Institut National de la Jeunesse de l'Education Physique et du Sport) of the national University d'Abomey-Calavi in Porto Novo. During this meeting, the common will to build a new campus with the students and staff of INJEPS was quickly apparent.
The official start of construction was in August 2014. In the meantime, a teaching building, a dormitory, a soccer field and a basketball court have been built on the previously fallow ground with the support of Weitblick.
The student exchange
Since the winter semester 2015, a student exchange has also taken place within the framework of the project. With the aim of an exchange at eye level, both Beninese students in Germany and Germans in Benin should be able to study. Since the winter semester 2015/16, students from Benin have been guests in Münster and are studying at the WWU for one semester with the help of a scholarship.
At the same time, German students should also have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad in Benin. Our vision is that in the future it should be just as natural to spend a semester in Benin as it is in Spain or Norway, for example. For this purpose, there is a cooperation agreement between the Faculty of Economic Sciences and the University of Abomey-Calavi. Through this cooperation 12-18 ECTS in the field of economics can be completed locally. However, the crediting of the performance must be clarified individually with the responsible crediting officer before the beginning of the semester abroad. More information can be found on our website in the section Recognition from milestone 2.
Students from other WWU disciplines can also go to Benin, although the recognition of credits must be clarified individually. In addition, there are further connecting factors to an internship or similar practical experience in Benin.
Internship with ESI or other organisations
ESI is a local NGO that carries out projects in the Djavi area. These include school construction projects, the operation of training centres and social counselling centres as well as other activities in the social sector. ESI is partly self-financed and is also supported by foreign organisations as Weitblick. An NGO of this size always has a need for interns, whereby the assignment can be individually coordinated and is possible in the areas of fundraising, project management, finance and local development, among others. In addition, ESI can arrange internships with other local NGOs and state authorities.
Supporting collaboration in local start-ups
Within the framework of the "Young Business" project, Weitblick is already supporting startups in the region in cooperation with the local start-up support organization "Start Up Valley". Young companies are accompanied, advised and supported over several years in their start-up process. In connection with a semester abroad, it is also possible to gain insights into this area, possibly by working in the Start Up Valley or one of the participating start-ups. These possibilities can be discussed individually if interested.
Further possibilities
In addition, the courses of study in Politics and Economics and Economics and Law offer the option of completing project studies, which may have a thematic connection to the semester abroad. This possibility as well as the provision of an examination for a seminar from the elective area of the WiWi faculty must be clarified individually with the responsible professors.
If you have further questions regarding the project or application, please contact Julian Rümelin from Weitblick e.V.