70 students at the university are receiving a Deutschlandstipendium this academic year. 40 of them are the first in their families to study, and more than 50 are involved in voluntary work.
"A Deutschlandstipendium not only makes studying easier, it also creates capacity for commitment outside the lecture theatre. And it's not just the scholarship holders who benefit from this, but society as a whole," said the Vice President for Academic Career Paths, Equal Opportunities and International Affairs, Prof Dr Katharina Al-Shamery, at the presentation ceremony for the scholarship certificates in the Old State Parliament. She praised the fact that the majority of the new recipients were involved in voluntary work alongside their studies.
In addition to the good feeling of doing something extremely worthwhile, the sponsors also had the rare opportunity to get to know the 'good cause' personally," said the Vice President. This personal exchange, which often leads to years of contact or even friendships, is what makes the Deutschlandstipendium so special and enriching for everyone involved. Al-Shamery expressed the University's heartfelt thanks to the sponsors, including 18 foundations and associations, eight companies and 17 private individuals.
Since its foundation 50 years ago, the University of Oldenburg has been a nationwide pioneer in paving the way for new target groups to study, emphasised the Vice President. "Both students with a non-traditional educational biography and students with a limited time budget are much more strongly represented at the University of Oldenburg than at other face-to-face universities," said Al-Shamery. At the same time, children of academically educated parents in Germany are still three times more likely to study than those whose parents did not go to university. This is another reason why the university has once again focussed on so-called first-time academics when awarding the Deutschlandstipendien.
The University of Oldenburg has been involved in the Deutschlandstipendium since 2011 and, together with the sponsors in the programme, has already been able to provide financial support to 800 students. The funding amounts to 300 euros per month and lasts for one year. Half of the funding comes from the federal government, while the university has raised the other half from private donors. The number of scholarships has almost reached the previous year's level.
