The HONOUR scholarship of the Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) supports students for one year who have outstanding academic achievements, special social commitment or above-average motivation. At the end of September, the first graduates of the innovative service-learning concept received their certificates at the graduation ceremony at the Krefeld South Campus.

The first graduating class of this concept was made up of 26 students from eight different faculties. This underscores the diversity of participants and the interdisciplinary nature of the program. The main goal was to encourage students to work actively on issues relevant to society and to put their academic skills into practice. The focus was on active and independent work. Four of the participants were selected on the basis of their outstanding volunteer work through so-called "wildcards" (eligibility to participate without having to meet the formal qualifications required for this). This illustrates the university's appreciation and respect for student involvement and social responsibility.

An important component of the HONOUR scholarship was the students' access to various continuing training programs during the summer and winter academies. The goal was to expand professional knowledge with skills from the areas of leadership, networking and potential development. Various exchange opportunities and workshops helped the students to foster their creative thinking processes and develop innovative solutions.

Professor Dr. Berthold Stegemerten, Vice President for Studies and Teaching Education, opened the HONOUR scholarship graduation ceremony with warm words of welcome. In his opening speech, he emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary projects and thinking "outside the box," especially for high-achieving students. This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Salima Douven, Vice President Open Innovation & Incubation at Henkel dx, who motivated the students to act self-effectively and to see even small detours or supposed hurdles in their professional careers as meaningful challenges.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of certificates, where the graduates were rewarded for their hard work and commitment. The event ended with a joint finale, where the students, deans and guests took the opportunity to exchange ideas and share their experiences.