“My Homeland” Photo Contest at the University of Germersheim

We invite you, as a student in Germersheim, to show us what "home" (Heimat) means to you personally through a photograph you have taken yourself.
The best photos will be displayed in the university cafeteria—and there are prizes to be won!

Core Theme
“My ‘Home’ – show us what ‘home’ means to you in a single photograph!”
“Home” can be a place, a landscape, a street, a building, an everyday scene, a tradition, a cultural event, a typical local dish, folklore, or a specific atmosphere.
A university—especially in Germersheim—brings together people from diverse cultural, geographical, and personal backgrounds. This competition aims to make that diversity visible.
What matters is not how spectacular your subject is, but the personal story connected to it.
In this way, many individual perspectives come together to form a collective portrait of the international university community in Germersheim.

Objectives
The photo competition has several goals:

• To highlight the international and cultural diversity at the university.
• To foster interaction and exchange among students.
• To provide both international and German students with an opportunity to share their origins and personal perspectives.

Prizes

• All students whose photos are selected for the exhibition will receive 15 cafeteria vouchers.
• A maximum of 6 photos can be awarded prizes each year.
• The selected photographs will remain on display in the cafeteria for one year, accompanied by the photographer’s name, the title of the work, and—if desired—a very brief biography. The competition will be held again the following year, at which point the exhibition will be updated with new images.

Who can participate?
Participation is open to all currently enrolled students of Faculty VI at the university in Germersheim. The competition is open to students of all nationalities and countries of origin.
Participation is, of course, free of charge.

Competition Task
The central question is:
What does "home" (Heimat) mean to you?
Students are invited to submit a photograph they have taken themselves that represents their personal concept of "home."
In addition to the photo, please include a very brief accompanying text, for example:

• Title of the photo: "Summer Evenings on the Bosphorus"
• Location/Country: Istanbul, Turkey
• Text: Why does this feel like home to me? "As a child, I spent many evenings here with my family. Whenever I see this place, I immediately think of home."

This short, personal text is an essential part of the project; it transforms beautiful photographs into personal stories.

Jury
The AStA team will select images from all submissions to be featured in a photo exhibition in the university cafeteria (Mensa).

Terms and Conditions
The following rules apply to participation in the photo competition:

• Currently enrolled students are eligible to participate.
• Each person may submit up to three photos.
• Participation is free of charge.
• The photo must have been taken by the participant themselves.
• AI-generated images are not permitted.
• The photo must be of sufficient resolution for high-quality printing (Aspect ratio 2:3/3:2, portrait/landscape orientation, high-resolution export at 300 dpi as PNG, JPG, or PSD).
• Images that are heavily altered or manipulated may be excluded; standard photographic editing is permitted.
• The person submitting the photo must hold the necessary rights to the image and confirm this.
• If individuals are recognizable in the photo, the necessary consent must have been obtained. Discriminatory, misanthropic, violence-glorifying, pornographic, political, or otherwise inappropriate content will be excluded.
• By participating, you consent to the use of your image in the context of the competition and the exhibition.
• The images will also be used on the Studierendenwerk’s social media channels. Participants grant the Studierendenwerk usage rights—limited in terms of time and scope—for a period of at least one year.

How do you submit your photo?
Photos must be submitted via email to kommunikation@stw-vp.de and must include the following information:

• First and last name of the photographer
• Student ID number or proof of eligibility (certificate of enrollment)
• Email address
• Title of the photo
• Location where the photo was taken
• Country
• A brief personal statement: “Why does this subject represent ‘home’ to you?”
• Consent to the terms and conditions of participation, data protection policy, and required usage rights

What is the submission deadline?
The submission deadline for the 1st Photo Competition is January 10, 2027.

Jury and Selection
The photographs to be exhibited will be selected by a jury from the AStA (General Students' Committee) Germersheim in January 2027.

Questions
If you have any questions, please contact: