Students at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) have excellent opportunities to demonstrate their abilities not only in teaching and research. For more than two decades, students have received support from the German National Academic Foundation – the most prestigious scholarship organization in Germany. This has been made possible in a special way Prof. Dr. Harald Platen, who has served as a liaison professor at THM since 2001.
The foundation is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Its aim has always been to support exceptionally gifted and dedicated young people, regardless of their financial circumstances. While the programs were initially focused exclusively on universities, the foundation opened its doors to universities of applied sciences and other higher education institutions in the mid-1990s – including THM. "As top a-levels students were increasingly enrolling at universities of applied sciences, the time was ripe to extend the support program for gifted students to this group as well," recalls Platen.
When he officially took over as liaison professor in 2001, the scholarship foundation had little visibility at THM . That has fundamentally changed: To date, 93 students at the university have received a scholarship. In the summer semester of 2025, ten young people are currently being supported in a wide range of disciplines – from computer science and energy technology to mechanical engineering and applied physics.
A particular milestone was the year 2010: Platen developed a university-wide procedure for identifying and proposing suitable candidates. "The way academic records were managed at that time made it impossible to even identify high-achieving students within their cohort," Platen explains. But as a former dean, he was familiar with the administrative processes and, together with the THM 's IT service, created a streamlined procedure. This proved successful: The number of scholarship recipients rose steadily until it stabilized at around 15 per semester before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, there is still room for improvement: In a nationwide comparison, THM ranks in the middle. Among the 88 universities of applied sciences where the foundation supports students, it holds 15th place. At the same time, it is evident that, relative to the total number of students, THM currently has a comparatively low number of scholarship recipients at 0.08 percent. By comparison, HAW Hamburg and FH Dortmund each achieve figures of around 0.15 percent.
The figures show that talent and potential abound at THM – the challenge is to make them even more visible. In addition to excellent academic performance, social engagement, personality, and the ability to think interdisciplinarily are also valued. "Performance and motivation are reflected in very good grades. Furthermore, scholarship candidates must demonstrate that they have interests beyond their studies, are actively involved in social causes, and are able to further develop their other personal talents," explains the faculty advisor. And he knows what he's talking about: as a student himself, he received a scholarship from the foundation.
A scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung) encompasses more than just monthly funding: seminars, excursions, international networks, and direct exchange with other scholarship recipients offer unique opportunities for personal development. That the scholarship can open doors is demonstrated not only by Platen's own career path but also by the example of a former THMscholarship recipient: Jasmina Stoebel, now a professor at the University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Society in Ludwigshafen, has herself become a faculty advisor – thus assuming the role she once experienced with Platen.
After a quarter of a century of dedicated service, Prof. Platen will retire in the fall of 2026. "Serving as a faculty advisor gave me the opportunity to express my gratitude for the scholarship I received, which opened doors during my studies that would otherwise have remained hidden," Harald Platen reflects on his work. He is pleased to have already found a successor. He will not reveal the name until the foundation officially appoints her, but plans to introduce her to her new role in a structured manner over the next year. One thing is certain: the commitment will continue.