Alanus University awards Deutschlandstipendien, the DAAD Prize, and other scholarships

This year, 24 students will receive a Deutschlandstipendium at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences in Alfter near Bonn. This year’s scholarship recipients and other students were honored at a ceremonial event.

Among them is Reyhaneh Shakeri from Iran, a student in the Fine Arts master’s program. She was awarded the Prize of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD Prize). A total of 19 international students will also receive funding in 2022 through the STIBET III program. In addition, bachelor’s students Maike Bendikowski and Andrew Friedrich from the Fine Arts department received a Karin Halft Scholarship.

University Rector and Mayor of the Municipality of Alfter extend congratulations to the scholarship recipients

At the award ceremony, Rector Hans-Joachim Pieper congratulated this year’s scholarship recipients: “These awards recognize their outstanding achievements and are intended to strengthen them for their future projects and initiatives.” The Rector also thanked the generous donors and benefactors who make funding for the scholarships possible. Rolf Schumacher, Mayor of the Municipality of Alfter, emphasized in his speech that the scholarships recognize both special talents and personal commitment and are intended to relieve students of some of their burdens.

More than 250 Deutschlandstipendien in twelve years – selection based on differentiated criteria

At Alanus University, more than 250 students have received a Deutschlandstipendium since 2012 in the amount of 300 euros per month, each for one year. These are funded equally by donations from private sponsors or companies and by funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.  In addition to outstanding academic performance and social commitment, social, family, or personal circumstances are also taken into account in the selection process. For architecture student Julian Weber, the financial support from the Deutschlandstipendium, which he received in 2021, was an essential prerequisite for advancing his study project on reconstruction in the Ahr Valley after the flood disaster: “The scholarship was very significant for me. In addition to my studies, I was able to dedicate myself intensively to volunteer work.” He encourages this year’s scholarship recipients: “Use this additional time that the scholarship gives you for meaningful projects and stay in touch with your sponsors. They support you in your plans and are usually very well connected.”

The funds for the Deutschlandstipendium come equally from federal funds and private and corporate donations. This year’s sponsors include the Fassbender Foundation, Meyer-Köring Rechtsanwälte, Stiftung der VR-Bank Bonn Rhein-Sieg, Trägergesellschaft für geisteswissenschaftliche Bildung gemeinnützige GmbH, Dennree GmbH, ALNATURA Stiftung, Schöllgen Haustechnik GmbH, Wirtschaftsförderung Alfter, Kreissparkasse Köln, Quarzwerke Witterschlick GmbH, Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen e. V., Alanus Stiftung, Förderverein der Alanus Hochschule e. V., and Akademie für angewandte Schauspielkunst Bonn.

DAAD Prize and STIBET III scholarship support the commitment of international students

This year’s DAAD Prize was awarded to Reyhaneh Shakeri from Iran, a master’s student in Fine Arts. Program director Prof. Ulrika Eller-Rüter is impressed by the student’s work: “Reyhaneh Shakari stands out for her artistic talent, her brilliant painting technique, her independent artistic position, and her profound subject knowledge. She alludes to the differing understandings of images between Orient and Occident, where in the Islamic tradition there is a prohibition on images and in Iran the strictest headscarf requirement applies. Her indirect depiction of the female body is therefore, in every respect, a very original, indeed even sophisticated approach. Her artistic concept demonstrates impressive maturity.”

The DAAD Prize is awarded to international students or doctoral candidates for outstanding achievements. The selection criteria are exceptional academic or artistic accomplishments as well as remarkable social or intercultural commitment. The prize is funded by the Federal Foreign Office. The funding announced by the DAAD as part of the STIBET III program was awarded to 19 international students. At Alanus University, the STIBET scholarships are awarded with funds from the Federal Foreign Office and the Alanus Foundation. The selection criterion is extraordinary social commitment at the university.

Two Karin Halft Scholarships for outstanding artistic work

In addition, Karin Halft Scholarships were awarded to Maike Bendikowski and Andrew Friedrich from the Fine Arts bachelor’s program. The scholarship is intended for art students at Alanus University who have distinguished themselves through outstanding academic achievement. The prize money of 1,000 euros each is funded by the Alanus Foundation and the Karin Halft Foundation.