Study Healthier at the University of Siegen

The University of Siegen is teaming up with health insurer Techniker Krankenkasse on a student health management (SGM) program. It is tasked with developing and implementing measures to promote physical, mental, and social health.

Exam stress, fear of the future, and financial concerns can put tremendous strain on students. The 2023 health report by health insurer Techniker Krankenkasse shows that the subjective state of health of students has worsened significantly compared with the period before the corona pandemic. A representative survey of 1,000 students across Germany found that 68 percent were either currently worn down from stress or had been in that state in the past twelve months. With this in mind, the University of Siegen has launched a student health management (SGM) program. It will develop and implement measures to improve the well-being of students — with strong participation by the students themselves. This includes a healthy campus design and better networking of health-promoting offerings within the university. The project will run for three years, with support from the TK as its health partner.

“The well-being of our students is very important to us. It is an important component for successful studies. As befits the university's motto of ‘Shaping a Humane Future,’ we are very much interest in creating as healthy an environment as possible. It’s important to note that we already have many good offerings, which we will now be bringing back to the forefront. The student health management program will play a role in creating an even better framework for our students,” promised University Rector Dr. Stefanie Reese and Professor Andreas Düngen, the university’s acting chancellor.

The student health management program is hosted by the Sports Center. Over the course of an initial workshop, students, representatives of various university organizations, the Techniker Krankenkasse, and Andreas Düngen (as a representative of the university administration) worked together on shared guidelines. These will then serve as the basis for the SGM efforts to strength health resources for students. At the same time, health risks and strain can be reduced in a targeted way. The idea is to bundle existing offerings, such as movement and relaxation courses from the university sports program or counseling offerings and workshops by the mental health services office, into one easy-to-use directory. At the same time, additional offerings should also be created.

Health management is seen as an overarching responsibility that spans all areas of the university. “What’s of extra importance to us is close work with and active participation of the students, since they ultimately know what's best for healthy studies,” says Project Director Laura Zimmermann from the Sports Center.

Discussions with the department student bodies and General Students' Committee (AstA) identified an initial set of health issues and desires on the part of the Siegen students. “The students named tests and the associated pressure as the biggest stress factor. Among the areas where they see room for improvement are use of the green spaces around campus, a healthier core conception for course design, and the purchase of ergonomic furniture,” Zimmermann says in summary.

The first measure of the SGM in summer semester: a kick-off event for students with an interactive event, info stands, and opportunities to go hands-on.

Contact:
Laura Zimmermann (Sports Center, Project Director SGM)
Email: laura.zimmermann@uni-siegen.de
Tel.: +49 271 740-4730

Ringing in the start of the SGM: Marcus Wegener, Head of the Sports Center, Andreas Stracke and Saskia Balzer (both from TK), SGM Coordinator Laura Zimmermann, Andreas Düngen, acting chancellor of the University of Siegen, Markus Klein, Dirk Domgörgen (both from TK), and SGM staffer Kimberly Hassel.