Welcoming the first semester students at Westfälische Hochschule Bocholt

Around 100 students who have enrolled at the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences in Bocholt for the 2024/25 winter semester were warmly welcomed to the city centre. The event on the market square in front of the historic town hall was organised by Wirtschaftsförderung Bocholt and the city of Bocholt and met with a positive response.

Gudrun Koppers, deputy mayor of the city of Bocholt, welcomed the new "first-time" students and emphasised the many advantages of Bocholt as a study location. In addition to warm words, there was also a sweet surprise: each student received a free ice cream, for which the Leone ice cream parlour had set up a small ice cream counter on the market square. In addition, the new arrivals received a colourful welcome bag with information about their new place of study and a voucher from Stadtsparkasse Bocholt for one hour of ice skating including skate hire in winter on the ice rink at Neutorplatz (Sparkasse on Ice).

"Luckily, the weather played along in the late afternoon. We are delighted that so many new first-semester students gladly accepted our welcome offer", said Astrid Lukas from the Bocholt Economic Development Agency.

Following the welcome, the students moved into the popular Ravardi neighbourhood at the invitation of the business development agency. Free drinks awaited them in the pubs "Diebels Fasskeller" and "Studio B", while the new students took the opportunity to get to know Bocholt and its nightlife and make their first contacts.

The traditional freshers' welcome is part of the efforts of the city of Bocholt and the Bocholt Economic Development Agency to attract new citizens and future specialists and managers to the city and retain them in the long term. "We want to make the start in Bocholt as attractive as possible for the new citizens - including the students, of course - and show them the advantages of the location", concludes Astrid Lukas.