The new arrivals, including many international students, received a personal welcome by the Mayor of Offenburg, Edith Schreiner, Hochschule Offenburg's Rector Winfried Lieber, and the Chairman of the City Partners. Information material about the University and life in Offenburg was handed out as well as coupons packages especially appreciated by the students, including shopping coupons by City-Partner members, free tickets to the Messe Offenburg-Ortenau fair, and vouchers for the Ortenau Wine Festival and for Zampolli's ice-cream parlor.

Following the reception, many attendants stayed to enjoy the wine festival and get their first taste of the joie de vivre characteristic of the Baden region.