Dies Academicus 2014
As in previous years, Leuphana University Lüneburg will celebrate the conclusion of the academic year (2013-2014) with a ceremony. All members of the university are invited to join in the celebration. As part of this year’s “dies academicus,” the faculties of Leuphana University of Lüneburg will award honorary doctorates to especially worthy researchers and scholars. In addition, colleagues of the university will be recognized for their engagement and innovation in teaching, research and knowledge transfer. Students who volunteered for public service, on their own or as part of a seminar, will also be recognized with awards in two different categories.
As the traditional ceremony for the university community, the "dies academius" will take place on July 16, 2014 starting at 18:00 in Lecture Hall 2 (Campus Scharnhorststraße). The festivities will conclude in the more relaxed atmosphere of the Mensa starting at 20:00 with a buffet meal as part of the summer festival.
The ceremony is sponsored by the University Society and the Alumni Support Association (AFL).
New Honorary Doctorates
The presentation of honorary doctorates by the Faculty of Sustainability as well as by the Faculty of Management and Technology stood at the center of the event. Three scholars received honors: the political scientist, Professor Deborah R. Hensler (Stanford Law School); the science studies theoretician, Professor Helga Nowotny, for her accomplishments in the field of science studies; the political scientist and President of Arizona State University, Professor Michael Crow.
The 2014 Research Prizes
With its Research Prize, Leuphana recognizes researchers, who have distinguished themselves through their excellent research accomplishments. Specific factors played a role in awarding the prize: publication results, the acquisition of external funding, and citation by other researchers in the same field. This year, outstanding accomplishments by researchers were recognized in five categories.
Research Awards
The 2014 Knowledge Transfer Prizes
Leuphana University of Lüneburg awarded two prizes for knowledge transfer as part of its 2014 Dies Academicus. The transfer of scientific research beyond the university and application-oriented research with a practical relevance are two defining features of Leuphana University of Lüneburg. These should be highlighted and their importance should continue to grow in the academic self-understanding of the university, the estimation of cooperative partners, and in the public’s perception. With its knowledge transfer prize, Leuphana University of Lüneburg honors outstanding and innovative accomplishments in this category.
DAAD Prize for Study Abroad
Every year as part of the Dies Academicus, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) awards a prize for outstanding accomplishments by foreign students attending a German university. This prize is intended to recognize students with an excellent academic record and who have fostered intercultural social exchange. The prize includes a 1000 Euro award.
Prizes for Volunteer Activity
Two categories of student volunteer activities were recognized as part of this year’s Dies Academicus again:
Service Learning recognizes student projects and initiatives, that combine student volunteer work in civil society with academic learning.
Volunteer Activities recognizes volunteer work by Leuphana students, dedicated to the benefit of society as a whole.
Prize for Student Initiatives—“Outside the Box—the Award for people who think differently”
Since 2011, the Social Change Hub (SCHub) has been given the award, “Outside the Box—the Award for people who think differently,” to student run initiatives, associations and social enterprises that are actively engaged in changing our society.
What makes this award special is that the students vote for the winning projects per on-line ballot. The winning projects are given the opportunity to work on structural and strategic questions about their projects during an individual coaching weekend at the annual SCHub-Camp, where they can meet with real-world advisors.