2008/2009 Fellow | Bamberg University | Bamberg
The fellowship taught me to rely upon a much wider context than I had had before. Despite my attempts to think globally, I had been lacking the diversity of contexts that BUKAS programme brought to me. Diversity of origins and personal experiences of programme’s fellows was multiplied through our exposure to diverse aspects of life in Germany. Thirty fellows, we kept exchanging ideas and impressions, helping each other to understand what really matters to each of us. I believe this ability to review social processes and phenomena from diverse perspectives has become on of my major professional strengths since the fellowship days.
The importance of networks was my second lesson from the programme. With BUKAS fellows from other years I organised a Humboldt Kolleg ten years after my fellowship, in 2019, and was again amazed by the immense expertise and engagement of the alumni community.
Finally, I discovered a very different Germany through the fellowship: Germany with the long-term focus, green thinking and democratic decision-making. This voice of Germany remains with me ever since. I hope this voice will continue bringing ambitious diverse talented people together.
Wars and conflicts, increasing manifestations of climate change, turbulence of global digital economy challenge our daily lives in many aspects. As a humankind we need new answers to the pressing issues. New voices, new visions, new agendas have to question the existing status quo. Will Germany continue fostering diversity of young leaders in its international partners? As BUKAS alumni I dare hope for that.
