Good academic performance and social commitment during their studies - these criteria qualify students at TU Ilmenau and nationwide for the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. As a student with a very good grade point average and as a committed member of VDE, Felix Hußlein has both and is being supported by the Deutschlandstipendium for the fourth year in a row.
For the computer science student, the funding not only means financial relief. It also opens up opportunities for his future career. Felix’s sponsor SAP, a global provider of software solutions, has placed Arne Schwarz, Head of the Database Research Campus at SAP, at his side. In him, the student has gained a mentor who is often just an e-mail away and to whom he can turn with questions:
Through the contact with my sponsor and the insights into practical work at SAP, I have not only gained a clearer idea of the career paths in computer science that are right for me, but have also established contacts with scientists whose careers serve as inspiration.
With 48 Germany Scholarships, more students than ever before are being supported at TU Ilmenau this year. SAP has been supporting students at TU Ilmenau as part of the program since 2016. The successful collaboration at research level with the Databases and Information Systems Group , headed by Prof. Kai-Uwe Sattler, prompted the company to approach TU Ilmenau, as Arne Schwarz explains:
TU Ilmenau enjoys an excellent reputation. The quality of the teaching and the strong specialist focus, particularly in the fields of computer science and business informatics, make the university an ideal partner for our company.
For companies, the Deutschlandstipendium is an opportunity to attract talented students at an early stage: "We want to promote talent, get to know them and grow together," emphasizes Schwarz. "It’s a give and take. The students benefit from our experience and we get to know the brightest minds."
Whether internships, working student jobs, final theses or direct entry - many sponsored students have already found their way into companies by participating in the Deutschlandstipendium. Regional companies in particular are specifically looking for qualified students and graduates from TU Ilmenau, including the software company Actian Germany GmbH, which has a branch in Ilmenau. This year, the company is supporting students from TU Ilmenau for the first time as part of the Deutschlandstipendium. Katrin Wüst, Office Manager at the company, explains her company’s motivation:
It is important to us to support talented students at an early stage and to show them prospects in the IT sector and specifically in our company. At the same time, we want to strengthen our presence as an employer in the region. The Deutschlandstipendium scholarship offers a very good platform for this.
Prof. Anja Geigenmüller, Vice President for Teaching and Learning at TU Ilmenau, moderated the presentation of the Deutschlandstipendium scholarships in the Audimax, the university’s largest lecture hall. She thanked the sponsors of the Deutschlandstipendium, including companies, foundations, associations and private individuals, and focused in particular on the role of the Deutschlandstipendium as a bridge between science and business.
The Deutschlandstipendium is an important building block for supporting high-achieving and committed students who actively shape our society. Without the support of our sponsors, we could lose many talented students who would not be able to develop their potential due to financial obstacles - a loss that our country cannot afford.
For Felix Hußlein and many other students, the funding is not least a recognition of their achievements and motivation for their future careers:
It’s a great feeling to be part of this program. The Deutschlandstipendium not only gives me the freedom to concentrate on my studies and my interests, but also shows me what opportunities lie ahead of me.
