What began in 2006 as an ambitious idea conceived by the founding members—specifically, the then-chancellor and the chancellors and Presidents of the five public universities in Ostwestfalen-Lippe—has proven to be a true model of success over the past 20 years: Supporting students through scholarships, made possible by the combined financial and moral commitment of universities, companies, organizations, and private individuals, is a concept that has proven its worth.
Minister Brandes: “Every talented individual should have the opportunity to pursue a degree program. The 20-year history of the OWL Study Fund is impressive proof that young people can choose and pursue their desired career paths regardless of their social background or financial means. They gain access to networks, mentoring, and individual support. My heartfelt thanks to all donors and supporters, because fostering talent is a shared responsibility. This ensures that North Rhine-Westphalia remains attractive to the brightest minds who will help shape innovation and progress in our state in the future. After all, training young people to become qualified professionals is THE crucial responsibility that will enable us to maintain and increase our prosperity and social security.”
Increase from ten scholarships per year to 510 and 1.7 million euros
Starting with ten scholarships at the turn of the year 2006/2007, the Study Fund now awards over 500 scholarships annually. This represents a funding volume of more than 1.7 million euros per year. Since its founding, more than 23 million euros in scholarship funds have been distributed.
The larger of the two funding programs, which supports students at the (TH) OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Bielefeld University, Paderborn University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI), and the Detmold University of Music (HfM), is the Deutschlandstipendium. This is a nationwide program funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), in which half of the scholarship funds come from the federal government and the other half from private sources—the latter raised for the OWL region by the Studienfonds.
The Deutschlandstipendium program has its origins in the Studienfonds OWL: As early as 2009, the then-state government of North Rhine-Westphalia recognized that the concept of the Studienfonds OWL had the potential to become something great.
An Idea from OWL via North Rhine-Westphalia as a Nationwide Success Model
Initially, the funding model was adopted as a state-wide scholarship program. In 2011, this evolved into the “Deutschlandstipendium,” which has since been offered at hundreds of universities nationwide. Today, approximately 35,000 students across Germany benefit from this public-private partnership model.
The support is not limited to financial assistance: At the OWL Study Fund alone, there are over 140 non-financial events annually in cooperation with the funders. From company tours to workshops and discussion panels, to soft skills training and cultural events, there is a wide variety of topics and formats in which the recipients can participate—and they can continue to do so even after the funding period ends as alumni.
Social Scholarship for Students in Need
In addition to the Germany Scholarship, the Studienfonds OWL has its own funding program, the Social Scholarship, which is financed entirely by donations from regional donors. This program assists students who find themselves in a precarious financial or personal emergency that could jeopardize the continuation or completion of their degree programs.
Here, too, the non-monetary support program underlying both funding lines is a key component of the assistance. In addition to broadening their horizons, this enables students to establish contacts with potential employers early on and set the course for their professional future.
At the ceremony, Professor Dr. Ingeborg Schramm-Wölk, President of HSBI and Chair of the Foundation, praised the pioneering work of those who took the then-unconventional step of cross-university collaboration in 2006: She described the Studienfonds OWL as “a true treasure” that the universities and all involved stakeholders had unearthed in the region and that must be preserved.
Following her opening remarks, all members of the foundation’s Executive Board and Board of Trustees also addressed the audience—each with their own main focus area, yet united in their conviction: The OWL Study Fund and its scholarship program have a bright future.
Ceremony with a varied program
The festive program, moderated by Executive Director Katja Urhahne, was diverse: In addition to panel discussions with key figures from the past two decades and music performed by two violin students from the HfM, an unconventional karaoke show took place—the kind that could likely only be conceived in a university setting: Three courageous scholarship recipients were given topics and PowerPoint slides and a short preparation time before they then presented highly complex academic topics—completely outside their fields of study—to the audience in an entertaining manner and with great improvisational skill.
Anne Catherine Neuhaus, Chair of the Herford-based Carina Foundation, also received special applause. Together with her team, she organized a program segment that highlighted the work of her foundation and its close cooperation with the Study Fund. The Carina Foundation has been a supporter from the very beginning and has since provided the OWL Study Fund with 1.8 million euros in funding—making it by far the leading contributor.
Seeking Additional Sponsors for Scholarship Funding
Looking ahead, the Studienfonds OWL Foundation hopes to continue attracting ambitious supporters for its scholarship programs and the students they support. To mark its anniversary year, the foundation has launched a campaign. One of its slogans is: “We’re on the path to education. Join us!”
Anyone wishing to join the Studienfonds networks as a donor—whether a company, association, or private individual—can contact the office at info(at)studienfonds-owl.de or find out more in advance here: https://www.studienfonds-owl.de/die-stiftung/20-jaehriges-jubilaeum-studienfonds-owl
