“You are our beacons of hope”

Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences awards Deutschlandstipendien scholarships for the thirteenth time, this year’s DAAD Prize for international students, and additional scholarships.

This year, 31 students at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences in Alfter near Bonn are receiving a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. During a ceremonial event on 17 October 2023, the students were honored and presented with their certificates. Among the scholarship recipients is Sukyeong Han from South Korea, a student in the bachelor’s degree program in Eurythmy. She was awarded the DAAD Prize, endowed with 1,000 euros. In 2023, a total of ten international students are also receiving support through the “Alanus International” scholarship program, financed by the Alanus Foundation. In addition, five Alanus art scholarships and one scholarship from the Academy for International Education (AIB) were awarded.

The managing director and the rector congratulate the scholarship recipients

At the scholarship award ceremony, Michael Schröder, Managing Director of Alanus University, congratulated the scholarship recipients and highlighted their extraordinary commitment to the common good: “You are not only scholarship holders, but also our beacons of hope! Through your artistic projects, you not only demonstrate excellent academic achievement, but also work on behalf of refugees and people in need, as well as for sustainability and environmental protection.” Alanus University aims to be a place that helps shape a society fit for the future, emphasized Rector Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Pieper in his address, thanking the generous donors and benefactors: “Anyone who supports young people in their development also makes a fundamental contribution to preserving and advancing our society and its future. At a time when the cost of living and costs in general have risen for everyone, it is especially valuable that there are people, companies, and institutions willing to support students in their development.”

More than 280 Deutschlandstipendium scholarships in thirteen years – selection based on differentiated criteria

Since 2012, more than 280 students at Alanus University have received a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship of 300 euros per month, each for one year. These scholarships are financed equally through donations from private supporters or companies and through funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. In addition to outstanding academic achievement and social commitment, social, family-related, or personal circumstances are also taken into account in the selection process. “The Deutschlandstipendium took the financial pressure off me so that I could devote all my energy to creative projects,” said art student Jacqueline Weihe, who received support in 2022. “It was also important to me that I was able to pay everyone involved appropriately and that, for example, through the solidART charity exhibition, we were able to support refugees from Ukraine.”

This year’s sponsors of the Deutschlandstipendium scholarships include Fassbender Stiftung, Stiftung der VR-Bank Bonn Rhein-Sieg, Trägergesellschaft für geisteswissenschaftliche Bildung gemeinnützige GmbH, AIB Stiftung, Dennree GmbH, Schöllgen Haustechnik GmbH, Wirtschaftsförderung Alfter, Kreissparkasse Köln, Quarzwerke Witterschlick GmbH, Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen e. V., Alanus Stiftung, Förderverein der Alanus Hochschule e. V.

The DAAD Prize and the “Alanus International” scholarship program promote the commitment of international students

This year, Sukyeong Han from South Korea, a bachelor’s student in Eurythmy, was awarded the DAAD Prize. Prof. Bart-Jeroen Kool, head of the Eurythmy department, expressed his admiration for the student’s achievements: “Sukyeong Han is extremely talented, and her professional approach to work and practice goes far beyond the level of a first-year Eurythmy student. She has a refined artistic ability to express herself through movement. Her musical knowledge and her engagement with poetry are excellent. After completing her studies, she hopes to contribute to the further development of Eurythmy in South Korea. I strongly support her awareness of the developmental questions facing Eurythmy in her country.”

The DAAD Prize is awarded to international students or doctoral candidates for outstanding achievements. The selection criteria include exceptional academic or artistic performance as well as remarkable social or intercultural commitment. The prize is financed from funds provided by the Federal Foreign Office. Due to budget cuts at the DAAD, the previous STIBET III program could unfortunately no longer be advertised in 2023: the Alanus Foundation, which had previously provided 50% of this funding, maintained its share in 2023 as well. As a result, half of the previous scholarships could be advertised, and ten international students in one semester of their bachelor’s or master’s studies were able to receive support through the so-called “Alanus International” scholarship program.