First MHB Engagement Event to honor student volunteers

Neuruppin, 16 January 2026

Ideas that are pursued with passion, student co-determination resulting in genuine change – these things are close to the heart of the MHB. This very special spirit prevailing at the MHB was celebrated with the first Engagement Event hosted by the university’s executive board and the AStA in Neuruppin on Friday, 16 January. The location – the festive hall of the University Hospital Ruppin-Brandenburg (ukrb) – indicated that student commitment reaches far beyond lecture rooms: it is the driving force behind a dynamic campus life and fosters strong links with the entire region of Brandenburg.

A mosaic of passionate commitment and responsibility

MHB president Prof. Hans-Uwe Simon painted an impressive picture of student activities in his speech. He described numerous examples, including the following:
•    University politics and study conditions: the student initiative StuIn as part of the AStA, in support of student participation and an active campus life;
•    Innovation and assistance: the MedSi with several work groups involved in support projects for refugees and the digitization of instruction;
•    Ethics and society: Initiatives such as “Medicine and Human Rights” that draw attention to physicians’ and psychologists’ responsibilities to society;
•    Presence in the region: Active participation in social projects on site in Brandenburg – from patient care to campaigns in schools to foster health competences.

Unsung heroes

Prof. Simon had particular words of praise for those in charge of background structures which are essential in everyday university routines. Students act as ambassadors of the MHB at many levels, as tutors for newcomers, in mentoring programs or online consultations, or as organizers of campus information days. These structures, so Prof. Simon, are essential in fostering a strong sense of community: “Student commitment is of direct benefit to the regional population and serves to promote education and social cohesion in the entire State of Brandenburg.”
AStA chairman David Lenz thanked the donors’ association for supporting numerous projects which students from the first to the tenth semester organize and implement, frequently behind the scenes. He reported active student participation in over 30 university bodies and more than 80 student work groups with two people in charge respectively.

An evening for networkers

The ceremonial part was followed by ample opportunities for personal encounters and exchange around the buffet. The MHB gives thanks to all students for their creative ideas, time and energy. This first Engagement Event was impressive proof that our students are the true pacemakers of our university.