For the first time, the Paderborner Hochschulkreis e. V., in cooperation with the Heidloff Family Foundation and the SolarKapital Foundation, awarded the Horst Gräfer Prize. The two prizewinners, Dr Reyhaneh Safaei and Thorben Scholz, were each delighted to receive prize money of €5,000 at the "Day of Economics" ceremony.
Courage, commitment and diversity - the winners of the Horst Gräfer Prize 2024
Dr Reyhaneh Safaei began her academic career in Tehran, Iran, before moving to the Ruhr University Bochum for her Master's degree. This was followed by a doctoral programme at the Chair of Business Administration, in particular Business Taxation, at Paderborn University. Despite her poor knowledge of German, she managed to teach courses in German independently within a very short space of time. Her social commitment is reflected in her dedication to democratic structures in Iran and her support for women and students from the Middle East.
Thorben Scholz, research assistant in the "Behavioural Economic Engineering and Responsible Management" department at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute at Paderborn University, impressed the jury with his willpower and social commitment. Despite personal challenges, he mastered both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Paderborn University. Today, as co-founder of UFUNDI GmbH, he offers artists from the Global South a stage and sponsors a more cosmopolitan and collaborative future.
Be a Horst!
The Horst Gräfer Prize honours the legacy of Prof. Dr. Horst Gräfer, who taught at Paderborn University from 1972 to 2005. The award named after him honours individuals who rise above themselves, overcome obstacles and stand up for others. The award is based on Gräfer's outgoing and cosmopolitan nature as well as a life path that was characterised by detours, personal ambitions and an optimistic attitude.
The prize was awarded by the founders Eckard Heidloff and Dr Andreas Leimbach. In a laudatory speech, Leimbach greeted Gräfer's family, among others, and spoke about moving anecdotes from Horst Gräfer's life.
The Faculty of Business Administration and Economics would like to congratulate Dr Reyhaneh Safaei and Thorben Scholz on this special award!
