Ahmad Qais Nekzai is our DAAD prize winner 2022. He is in his 5th semester of social work at the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. In addition to very good academic achievements, his commitment to the association "Patenschaftsnetzwerk afghanische Ortskräfte e.V." is also recognised. In his home country of Afghanistan, Ahmad Qais Nekzai had worked as an interpreter for the German Armed Forces. In 2014, he took the opportunity to make a new start in Germany and has since been working for Afghan people who stand for peace and freedom in Afghanistan.

Norma Sevilla received the DAAD prize for Special Achievements by Foreign Students from Franziska Buddy, Head of the Service Department for Studies and International Affairs. The award winner had come to Magdeburg in 2019 to study Water Engineering. She receives the award not only for her outstanding academic achievements, but also for her proactive engagement in the local area.

The Chinese student Xiaotong Gao received the DAAD prize from the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal. Prof. Dr. Anne Lequy, Rector of the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, honored the student at the closing event for the application for the Capital of Culture on October 28.

During the matriculation ceremony in Stendal, this year's DAAD prize was also presented to Valeria Franceschi. The student of rehabilitation psychology impressed with her excellent academic achievements and her high level of commitment alongside her studies. The DAAD prize is endowed with 1,000 euros.

Ekaterina Pushkareva has been studying in Stendal since the winter semester of 2017/18 and since April 2018 has been a student member of the International Office (IO) in Stendal. Even before taking this role she provided support by accompanying excursions run by the IO for international students. Ekaterina has already completed a degree in law in Moscow. However, since she has held a long-term interest in psychology, in Russia she also undertook a variety of training courses in psychological counselling and gestalt therapy/systemic family therapy. She is being recognised, among other things, for her commitment outside of her studies. This includes participation in an exhibition of artwork in the small market hall in Stendal, her involvement in the university choir and work with a Stendal refugee initiative. Apart from this, Ekaterina Pushkareva also took part in the university’s Study and Teaching Day and Stendal’s Days of Reflection.

Mohammad Zayed began his studies at German-Jordan University, which is based on the concept of German universities of applied sciences and whose project management is the responsibility of Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences on the German side. In 2015 he completed a semester abroad at the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences and a subsequent internship abroad at Airbus Operations GmbH. In order to gain further academic and professional experience in Germany, he took an intensive German language course and transferred his studies in industrial engineering to the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. The 24-year-old Jordanian is now in his seventh semester and shares his experiences with Jordanian students, among others, whom he supports during orientation and getting to know the university and the state capital. After completing his bachelor's degree, Mohammad Zayed is aiming for a master's degree in Germany. In addition, he pursues his own business idea, the implementation of which is supported by the scouts of the Gründer- und Transferförderung der Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal.

Olesya Andronova is currently in the 7th semester of her bachelor's degree course in interpreting for authorities and courts at the university of applied scienes in Magdeburg. The Russian came to Germany to study in 2013. She made her first German experience in the context of a student exchange in the 9th grade, eleven years ago. This encounter with country and culture led to the decision to study later in Germany. She herself says about her professional goal as an interpreter: "I want to help people understand each other and communicate with each other."

Siyana Dimitrova has outstanding academic achievements and also convinces with a very high degree of cultural and social commitment: In addition to her studies, she works on an honorary basis for the integration of underage refugees in the project "oneworld" of the Open Channel Magdeburg and additionally leads the project "DSD: My Ticket to Germany" with other volunteers, in which she talks about international exchange and foreign marketing. She shares her experiences in the Bulgarian folk dance group "Ludo Mlado".  The journalism student, whose mother tongue is Bulgarian and who is also fluent in German, Russian, English and Spanish, has been living in Germany since 2012. As a member of the Buddy Programme of the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, she accompanied other international students and was able to profitably pass on many of her own experiences. She is now part of the student organisation team and also responsible for the university presentations "Ferndurst & Wissensweh".