Alumni stories

Here you can find interviews and portraits of Alumniportal members from different countries.
Alumni talk about their studies abroad and about their careers in a short video.
Germany-Alumni describe their varied impressions of Germany in a short statement.

How Habiba Issa gave wings to a circus

“Acrobatics? You’re too small!” Despite all of her mother’s misgivings, Habiba Issa never gave up on her dream. Some years later, she founded two successful circus projects.

DAAD scholarship holders during the coronavirus crisis

"I think it was the right choice"

Carmen Julia Pastor Maldonado is a DAAD scholarship holder and has stayed in Germany during the corona pandemic. In the video she explains why that was the right decision – and how it disrupted her career plans.

DAAD scholarship holders during the coronavirus crisis

“I was very lucky”

Lorenzo Semeia comes from Italy and is currently using his DAAD scholarship to carry out research at the University of Tübingen. In this video he explains why he’s happy the pandemic didn't bring Germany to a standstill just a few months earlier.

Interview mit Onur Çagdas Artantas

Alumni association in Turkey: Past and future

What constitutes good alumni work? How time-consuming is it? And in what ways can it even be important for bilateral relations? The Alumniportal Deutschland discussed these questions with Onur Çagdas Artantas, Secretary General of the only DAAD alumni association in Turkey.

Inclusion: Germany-Alumna starts a chess club

Because the knight can change the game

Sohibjamol Rakamova grew up in a remote region in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Against all odds, she won a number of professional chess competitions. With her non-profit chess club, Vilka, the Germany alumna wants to show disabled children what they are capable of.

DAAD Alumni tell their stories: Scholarship as a career booster

“My degree opened up new, incredible opportunities”

A DAAD scholarship as a career booster: During the DAAD’s first virtual graduates’ seminar, three alumni talked about how the support changed their lives. Their accounts are available to read and to watch as videos.

The individuals presented in our brochure are representatives of many thousands of Germany-Alumni who are shaping progress and for whom international cooperation has become second nature. Read about inspiring personalities from around the world (in German only)!

PDF brochure

Alumni stories

New interviews and portraits