International Office

Events & recreational activities

All events

Please register via the event-specific registration forms.

All events are held in English.

Information events

November 12, 2025: Welcome Hour for Doctoral Researchers with RUB Research School

This event is aimed particularly at our new, international PhD students. Together with the RUB Research School, we will give you an overview of our services. While the Research School will support you especially with your academic questions during your stay, the Welcome Centre mostly advises on bureaucratic matters like visa or residence issues, health insurance, registration matters, etc.

You will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Format: Online via Zoom
Costs: Free of charge
Registration: via the registration form of the Research School

January 29, 2026: Meet the Expert – Income Tax in Germany

We would like to invite all international researchers at RUB, who are interested in the topic of tax law with special regard to income taxation, to this information session.

Our expert will address the following topics, among others:

When am I liable to pay income tax in Germany?

How will the income I receive for my research activities in Germany be taxed?

As an international researcher, do I have to file an income tax return in Germany?

What aspects do married couples who work in different countries need to consider?

*Please note: This event should not and cannot replace an individual and comprehensive consultation with a tax advisor.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Format: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free of charge
Registration: by Monday, January 26, 2026 via our registration form

Repeated monthly:

November 20, 2025: Welcome Session

The Welcome Session is an online event designed to inform you about the first steps in Germany. Topics that are relevant for many researchers before the start of their stay and during the first weeks in Germany will be explained. You will also have the opportunity to ask general questions about your research stay at RUB and about life in Germany. You are welcome to attend a Welcome Session before your arrival, alternatively, we recommend that you attend the first Welcome Session after your arrival. The sessions are offered on a monthly basis.

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025, 4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Format: Online via Zoom
Costs: Free of charge
Registration: by Tuesday, November 18, 2025, via our registration form
Upcoming dates: December 10, 2025, January 20, 2026

Inside RUB

October 30, 2025: Guided Tour of RUB Campus by the Department of Organizational and Professional Development

The campus tours are an exclusive offer as part of the onboarding of new employees at RUB. With lots of information about the history and architecture of RUB, new employees explore some of the most interesting stations on campus – including the Audimax with the largest organ of its kind in all of NRW. The tours last about 90 minutes, this specific one will be in English. Registration is required due to the limited number of participants.

Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Format: Guided Campus Tour
Costs: Free of charge
Registration: via the registration form of RUB's service-portal until October 24, 2025. (If you don't have access to the service-portal, you can register via e-mail as well: zekiye.eken@uv.rub.de.)

Networking Events

November 15, 2025: BVB – Guided Stadium Tour

Join us on a guided tour of Germany’s biggest football stadium in the heart of the Ruhr area: Signal Iduna Park, home of Borussia Dortmund. Football is an essential element of culture in the Ruhr area and has a big influence on the self-image of the people and the identity of the region. Soak up the history and feel the passion for football on our 90-minute guided tour.

Highlight: We will be taking part in the tour together with researchers from TU Dortmund and the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025, 3:30 p.m. – approx. 7 p.m.
Format: Get-Together in Strobels restaurant starting at 3:30 p.m. and guided tour starting at 5:30 p.m., approx. 90 minutes
Costs: The tour is free of charge, possible expenses at Strobels are to be paid by yourself. There may be charges for train tickets (more information on train tickets can be found here).
Registration: by Monday, November 10, 2025 via our registration form (limited capacity)

December 2, 2025: Meet and Eat - Christmas Special

Let's meet and eat! We cordially invite you and your colleagues to a Christmas get-together with delicious snacks and conversations. Get to know the Welcome Centre team and fellow researchers in a relaxed atmosphere and expand your network at RUB. We will have (non-alcoholic) mulled wine, tea and cookies ready for you and look forward to more Christmas cookies/cakes from all over the world.

Date: Wednesday, December 2 2025, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Format: Get-together at the Welcome Centre, UV building
Costs: Free of charge, please bring Christmas cake/cookies (perhaps a specialty from your home country)
Registration: by Monday, November 24, 2025 via our registration form (limited capacity)

Further events for the upcoming semester may be announced.

We would like to point out that photos may be taken at all in-person events and that these photos may be used for the purposes of the Welcome Centre. If you do not wish to have photos taken of you, please contact us.

Other Cultural & Recreational Activities

Bochum Hauptbahnhof
Information about Bochum
Bochum Compact

University Sports is the place to go for all questions relating to sport and offers a wide range of courses.

RUB's University Language Centre (ZFA) offers German courses every semester.

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