Anastasiia Alekseeva: DAAD Prize for international student heroine!

Anastasiia Alekseeva: DAAD Prize for international student heroine!

On August 20, 2025, Anastasiia Alekseeva was awarded the DAAD Prize for outstanding achievements by foreign students. The Russian-born student at the University of Potsdam, who is enrolled in the master's program “Economic Policy and Quantitative Methods,” was honored for her remarkable commitment to mentoring younger students and her outstanding academic achievements. The nomination came as a surprise to her because she received the call while she was working at a management consultancy in Berlin.

Alekseeva is fulfilling a long-held dream by studying in Potsdam. Previous attempts at further training failed due to the corona pandemic and the geopolitical situation, particularly the war in Ukraine. Her commitment to the university is also reflected in the fact that she teaches a bachelor's course on microeconomics and practically applies her knowledge of quantitative methods.

The DAAD Prize: Background and Meaning

The DAAD Prize has been awarded by universities in Germany for over ten years and is endowed with 1,000 euros. Its goal is to give international students recognition and make their diverse stories visible. The prize represents an important step towards promoting intercultural exchange and strengthening future partnerships between Germany and other countries. Each prize winner brings a piece of Germany to their home country and at the same time leaves their mark on German society. DAAD reports that the winners are selected by the universities themselves.

Students who distinguish themselves not only through academic achievements, but also through remarkable social commitment and intercultural skills are particularly honored. The DAAD Prize is not a research prize and is intended to promote integration and networking among international students.

Personal perspective and future planning

Alekseeva feels comfortable in Potsdam and can imagine living in the region long-term. She enjoys interacting with other students and values ​​the academic environment that allows her to actively contribute to the community. However, she finds cultural differences, such as the tendency in Germany to plan everything long-term, to be unusual.

Alekseeva has already made plans for the future. She is thinking about pursuing a doctorate and is considering moving to Berlin for a full-time position. She plans to use the prize money of 1,000 euros to visit her family in Russia, whom she has not seen for six months.

In 2025, the DAAD will also celebrate 100 years of international academic exchange, and the University of Potsdam is proud to be part of this important history. THM adds that the DAAD Prize is a significant honor and a valuable tool for international students to promote their professional career and gain access to the DAAD ALUMNI community.