Getting a taste of university life

February 04, 2023

On 4 February, Campus Day will be held on the University premises for the first time since the start of the pandemic. In the main LMU building, potential students can get a taste of university life thanks to a selection of workshops, talks and sample lectures. Campus Day is the day when we open our doors to everyone who is interested in studying here. They can get a taste of university life, take part in events and talks and attend sample lectures. Central LMU facilities such as the University Library and the International Office will also have information booths on Campus Day.

On 4 February, Campus Day will be held on the University premises for the first time since the start of the pandemic. In the main LMU building, potential students can get a taste of university life thanks to a selection of workshops, talks and sample lectures. So this is a good time to get answers to all your questions. But what exactly can visitors look forward to? And how can they best prepare themselves for Campus Day? In the interview reproduced below, Dr. Veronika Schmideder from the Central Student Advisory Office answers all these questions and more.

Students find their way around on campus day.

© LMU

Ms. Schmideder, what can we expect on Campus Day?

Campus Day is the day when we open our doors to everyone who is interested in studying here. They can get a taste of university life, take part in events and talks and attend sample lectures. They can also get to know students from the various faculties and ask all their questions.

Who does Campus Day target in particular? Is it more for people who already know what they want to study? Or is it also designed for those who are still undecided?

It is an important event for both target groups. For someone who is uncertain about their future plans and may not yet have had much to do with universities as such, Campus Day is a chance to look around and see things for yourself. Our degree programs are represented at information booths that are spread all over the main building. If don’t yet know what you want to study, you can just drift along, ask questions and get a broad picture of the courses on offer.

And for those who do know what they want to study?

For everyone who has already decided on this or that subject, Campus Day is obviously a great opportunity to meet and talk to some of the lecturers and students. It is a good way to check whether how you imagined the degree program matches up with the reality.

Some courses are also offering guided tours of their faculties and departments. That gives potential students a chance to see for themselves where they would study. Sample lectures are another good way to verify whether you would really enjoy the discipline you have chosen.

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Campus Day

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Can you outline the various events?

The day begins at 9 a.m. with an official welcome address by Professor Oliver Jahraus, Vice President Teaching and Studies, and Dr. Andrea Stiebritz, Head of the Students Division. They will welcome potential students in the Audimax auditorium. After that, Christiane Mateus, Head of the Central Student Advisory Office, will provide an overview of the degree programs on offer and the LMU admission procedures.

As of 10 a.m., various lectures in the different subjects will start every 45 minutes. These talks may touch on course content or career prospects, for example, or you can attend a sample lecture. Budding language students can sit in on language courses, for instance. A number of departments also have FAQ sessions on the agenda. These events will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At the same time, information booths will be situated all over the main building. Most departments will hold one or more lectures and will be available at the booths all day.

What service facilities will be represented on Campus Day?

Central LMU facilities such as the University Library and the International Office will also have information booths on Campus Day. Some of them will also introduce themselves in lecture formats. The Students’ Union and the Munich employment agency will likewise have booths of their own. And we are delighted that a large number of scholarship providers will also be there to talk about options for financing your study course.

Sounds like a packed agenda. Isn’t it difficult to squeeze everything into a single day?

It is. Even just finding space for all the booths in the main building is a challenge. But everyone in the organizational team is very happy that Campus Day is back in the building. In the last two years, the virtual Campus Day program was split up over several days. Yes, it is obviously asking a lot to fit it all into a single day again. But we hope that this busy day will help potential students learn a lot and give them plenty of food for thought.

Are there any events you yourself would like to visit?

Yes, there are quite a few! I like the idea of a trial lesson in Japanese, for example, and a quiz organized around language, literature and culture as a minor subject. The idea of talking to history students over coffee and cake also sounds very appealing. The various departments have prepared not only lots of fascinating topics, but also very creative formats.

Take the initiative and talk to the people at the booths! On Campus Day, we are all there specially to talk to you as potential students! So, just stop by and ask what you want to know.
Veronika Schmideder, Zentrale Studienberatung

Tip: Put together a daily schedule

On campus day

most events will take place in the main building at Geschwister-Scholl-Platz.

Do you have any tips as to how potential students can get the most out of the day?

It is definitely worthwhile browsing through the program before you come! I would advise everyone to prepare their own individual schedule for the day. On the Campus Day web page, web links to each department are included in the details of each item on the agenda (in German only). Here you will find information about the degree programs and introductory materials. It is often easier to ask questions if you already know some of the basics.

And that is my biggest tip for everyone who visits: Take the initiative and talk to the people at the booths! On Campus Day, we are all there specially to talk to you as potential students! So, just stop by and ask what you want to know.

Any ideas to help people find their way around the university campus?

Most events are in the main building. It is a beautiful building, so visiting is an experience in its own right. Such a big building can sometimes be a little confusing, however. On our website we have therefore put links to all the rooms and lecture theaters in the Room Finder. You can either download this as an app or use it online (in German).

On Campus Day itself, there will also be people on hand to guide you and show you how to find your way around the main building.

Campus Day puts a human face on each course, it gives them a voice. You will meet people who are passionate about their subject, and their passion is infectious.
Veronika Schmideder, Zentrale Studienberatung

What is the biggest benefit to potential students now that Campus Day is back on the premises?

I believe personal encounters will be the biggest benefit. Whether you are visiting information booths or attending lectures: Campus Day puts a human face on each course, it gives them a voice. You will meet people who are passionate about their subject, and their passion is infectious. Even just a random encounter can be inspiring. Looking around with your eyes wide open, gathering impressions, picking up a flyer here, an information sheet there, getting to know a department you had never even thought about before: All that becomes possible when the event is here in the building.

What has been your experience of potential students on Campus Days in recent years?

The Central Student Advisory Office information booth meant that we were the first port of call for most visitors, many of whom were deeply impressed by the imposing stature of the main building. To begin with, you could often sense a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. Many people are hesitant to ask the first question, and sometimes you first have to overcome their inhibitions. But once the ice is broken, you often find yourself in thoroughly enjoyable conversations.

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What does Campus Day mean for LMU?

This is the one day when the University can showcase its vast spectrum of course offerings to potential students. You realize the sheer extent when preparing for Campus Day, when the departments submit their items for the agenda.

It really is impressive to see how many subjects LMU Munich brings together under one roof.

Campus Day is also the opportunity we have to make these subjects more tangible, and to show that learning at a university is not the same as learning at school. The subjects may have similar names, but I hope that the lectures and talks will clearly demonstrate the huge differences that exist between the two forms of tuition. Campus Day is obviously a fantastic way to experience that for yourself.