The award was given in particular for the communicative approach of making the Deutschlandstipendium visible not only as a funding programme, but also as a lively network of sponsors, students and alumni. Under the guiding principles "Living commitment. Giving opportunities." and "Vibrant network. Shaping together.", the University of Wuppertal focuses on personal stories, encounters and diverse formats that place the social commitment of those involved at the centre.

"The Deutschlandstipendium lives from the people who are involved in it - from sponsors who open up opportunities, as well as from students who use this support to take on responsibility in society," says Annika Grübler, Head of the Deutschlandstipendium at the University of Wuppertal. "We are delighted that our communication work has now been recognised nationwide. The honour confirms our approach of not only talking about funding, but also making the stories and encounters behind it visible."

Germany Scholarship at the BUW: a success story

Since the Deutschlandstipendium was introduced in 2011, the funding programme at the University of Wuppertal has developed continuously. While 67 students were supported by 27 sponsors in the first funding year, 292 students are already receiving a scholarship in the funding year 2025/26. The programme is now supported by 84 sponsors and around 150 other supporters via a crowdfunding initiative. In total, around 2,640 students have received funding since the programme began. The private funding totals more than 4.3 million euros.

A central component of the award-winning communication strategy is storytelling about personal experiences and social commitment. This includes video projects, newsletters, social media formats and events that facilitate encounters between sponsors, scholarship holders and alumni and create opportunities for further communication. The Germany Scholarship Volunteer Award, which was introduced in 2024, also plays an important role. With this award, the university recognises the social commitment of its scholarship holders - from educational projects and cultural initiatives to volunteering with the fire brigade, the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief, the German Red Cross or the German Life Saving Society.

Annika Grübler and her team would like to use the prize money to further expand the communication formats. In particular, there are plans to further develop video communication in order to make additional perspectives from the network - for example from alumni or from encounters between sponsors and students - more visible.