Around 250 graduates of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics celebrated their graduation together with their families, friends and the Faculty on Saturday, 15 November 2025. The "Day of Economics" once again transformed the Audimax into a place of appreciation, inspiration and new beginnings. From ceremonial greetings and a student keynote speech to the premiere of Wiwi Night, the day offered a diverse programme that highlighted both academic achievements and personal stories.
In his speech, the Dean of the Faculty, Prof Dr Jens Müller, not only recognised the achievements of the graduates, but also the social relevance of Paderborn's research in economics. He appealed to the graduates: "Remain curious, critical, empathetic and open to other perspectives. Be inspired by good ideas and contribute your ideas to initiate change." Müller also gave a special welcome to Prof Dr Beate Flath, Vice President for Teaching, Studies and Quality Management, who accompanied the day of celebration together with the faculty.
Inspiration and prospects
Dr Kostja Siefen, 2nd Chairman of the Alumni Association Paderborner Hochschulkreis e. V., led through the rest of the programme. Dr Jörg Habich, Managing Director of the Liz Mohn Foundation and alumnus of the faculty, returned to his alma mater as the keynote speaker. In a very personal, motivating speech, he called on the graduates to act courageously, actively seize opportunities and remain willing to keep learning new things. He spoke about the value of networks, the power of an open culture of error and the importance of attitude and integrity in business behaviour. Economic decisions, he emphasised, are always moral decisions as well. This is precisely why it is important to remain true to values and take responsibility.
In their joint speech, Vivianne Berau and Simon Weber took the guests of the graduation ceremony on an entertaining yet thought-provoking journey through the facets of studying at Paderborn University. Between humorous anecdotes about orientation days, the art of the all-you-can-eat pasta dish and misleading room numbers, they traced an arc to the serious challenges of studying. Exam stress, psychological strain, the desire for more practice-oriented learning formats and the importance of students volunteering were all addressed, as was the formative experience of a semester abroad. In their closing remarks, they emphasised the personal development that many students experience during their studies. They called for a reflective and responsible approach to the future and not to be guided solely by selfish maximisation of benefits. Instead, graduates should use their skills to actively contribute to an open, humane and sustainable society.
Awards for special achievements and commitment
The Dean of Research, Prof Dr Tobias Jenert, awarded the "Prize for Theses with a Focus on Gender and Diversity" to Nisrin Al Akhal for her Bachelor's thesis on "Barriers in Female Entrepreneurship: The Influence of Internal and External Factors on Access to Funding" and to Sarah Schotten for her Master's thesis on "Self-staging Practices as Access to Gender-Sensitive Educational Work at the Transition from School to Work: The Observation of Gender Stereotypes of Young Girls in Training Preparation".
The faculty's internal teaching award, presented by the Dean of Studies Prof. Dr Claus-Jochen Haake, went to Dr Nadja Stroh-Maraun for the module "Maths II" and to Prof. Dr Dennis Kundisch, Maike Althaus and Lea Biere for the project seminar "Conversational Agents: Business Informatics and Sociology in Dialogue".
In addition, the "Horst Gräfer Prize" was awarded, which honours people with unconventional life paths and special social commitment. This year's winner, Nicole Weitzenbürger, received prize money of €5,000.
Premiere of Wiwi Night: We celebrate what unites us!
The Wiwi Night took place for the first time on the same evening in the Mensa Forum. The new format combined celebrating, eating and networking. Staff and student councils created a warm atmosphere at the bar, while the live band Weekender and a DJ set transformed the Mensa into a lively meeting place. Students, staff, alumni and friends of the faculty came together in an exuberant atmosphere, exchanged ideas and celebrated a successful faculty party well into the night.
Special thanks go to all the sponsors who made this day possible - in particular the main sponsor CLAAS and Techniker Krankenkasse, which took over the printing of the yearbooks and shortened the waiting time until the awarding of certificates with a smoothie stand, as well as myconsult GmbH.
The Faculty of Business Administration and Economics would like to congratulate all graduates on their degrees and wish them all the best for the future. The "Day of Business Administration and Economics 2025" impressively demonstrated how strongly the Faculty is characterised by a committed community, excellent research, lively teaching and student engagement. It was a day of celebration, retrospection and new beginnings.
