72 particularly talented and committed students at the University of Oldenburg will receive a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship this academic year. The grant amounts to 300 euros per month and lasts for one year. Half of the sum comes from the federal government, while the university has raised the other half from private donors. A total of 388 young people applied for a scholarship.
"A Deutschlandstipendium not only makes studying easier, it also creates capacity for engagement outside the lecture theatre. And it's not just the scholarship holders who benefit from this, but society as a whole," said Prof Dr Andrea Strübind, Vice President for Studies and Teaching, at the presentation ceremony for the scholarship certificates in Oldenburg Castle. Strübind particularly emphasised the fact that around 95 per cent of the recipients were involved in voluntary work alongside their studies.
On behalf of the university, Strübind expressly thanked the sponsors: 18 individuals, six companies and 18 other organisations and institutions were involved this year. "Anyone who supports a scholarship holder not only gets the good feeling of doing something extremely worthwhile, but also the rare opportunity to get to know the 'good cause' personally," said Strübind. This personal exchange, which often continues after the end of the programme and leads to friendships or academic appointments, is what makes the Deutschlandstipendium so special and enriching for everyone involved.
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. "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," explained Strübind. Around a third of students had previously obtained a vocational qualification or gained other work experience. According to the most recent survey of new students, 41 per cent of first-year students are the first in their family to start a degree course - among those receiving funding, the figure is as high as 58 per cent. This is particularly significant because in Germany, the children of academically educated parents are around three times more likely to start university than those whose parents did not go to university.
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 around 900 students.
