Good academic and social support helps ensure that international students studying in Germany achieve academic success and have a personally enriching experience.The Federal Foreign Minister sponsors the “Prize for excellent international student support services at German universities” to recognize innovative solutions and particularly effective programmes in this field.

At the annual meeting of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on 10 November the prize is to be awarded for the twelfth time.This year’s winner is the joint initiative “Fremde werden Freunde in Erfurt” (Strangers Become Friends in Erfurt).

The prize worth 15,000 euro will be presented in Bonn by Werner Wnendt, Head of the Directorate-General for Culture and Communication in the Federal Foreign Office. It is being awarded to a highly successful initiative established jointly by two Erfurt universities (University of Erfurt and Fachhochschule Erfurt) to provide academic, language and social support services for international students under the motto “Fremde werden Freunde” (Strangers Become Friends). This impressive project superbly demonstrates how bridges can be built between the universities and the Erfurt region.

Two other initiatives will receive a special commendation: the “OPSIS” support network of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena and the Bremen initiative “Runder Tisch Internationale Studierende in Bremen” (International Students in Bremen Roundtable).

For people working at the international offices of universities around the country the annual meeting of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to be held from 10 to 12 November 2010 is a very important forum for sharing information and experience.