Sometimes it's not so easy to achieve your goals and sometimes you have to take a few detours to get where you want to go. This year, for the first time, the Horst Gräfer Prize 2024 is intended to support precisely those people who stand up for their goals, no matter how difficult they are to achieve.
Prof Dr Horst Gräfer was a university lecturer at Paderborn University from 1972 to 2005 and was particularly distinguished by his unconventional way of life. Coming from a rather modest background, Gräfer first completed a commercial apprenticeship in industry and only then acquired his general higher education entrance qualification. After completing his studies, he initially worked in controlling, but then decided to take the risk of doing a doctorate.
Following Horst Gräfer's death in 2022, the Paderborner Hochschulkreis e. V. (PHK) has now set itself the task of honouring his legacy. The Horst Gräfer Prize will therefore be awarded each year to honour a person who has followed a similarly unconventional path in life as Horst Gräfer did in his time. The award is aimed at all people, regardless of whether they are pupils, students or already fully employed. The prize of €5,000, which the winner will receive, is sponsored by the Heidloff Family Foundation and the SolarKapital Foundation.
The PHK will accept informal applications by email (phk@mail.uni-paderborn.de) until 31 July 2024.
