The International­ization Award – Inspiring projects and the people behind them

Internationalization requires dedicated individuals. Since 2016, the Internationalization Award has honored outstanding individuals, initiatives, and projects that contribute with exceptional commitment to intercultural exchange, an open culture of welcome, and the promotion of international collaboration. These efforts make a lasting contribution to the internationalization of TU Dresden.

The award celebrates the variety of internationalization initiatives, recognizes the dedication of those involved and encourages further collaboration. Since its introduction, the award has been presented seven times. It has particularly received growing attention since 2020, with a total of 75 applications.

The following video features a selection of projects by former award winners, highlighting their impressive work and commitment.

„Stammtisch – German Conversation Evenings“ – Fatema Darbar
In 2020, Fatema Darbar was awarded the Internationalization Award for organizing the event series "Stammtisch – German Conversation Evenings." The Stammtisch regularly brought together international and German university members between 2014 and 2021. It evolved into the co-working café "InterLokal" in Dresden's Neustadt district in 2021. With “InterLokal”, Fatema has created a unique international community space, where workshops and events such as the Stammtisch, pub quizzes and improv theatre take place. This space actively contributes to the integration of international individuals and strengthens the intercultural community in Dresden.

„Salsa & Bachata Fridays“ – Susann Riedel and David Ortegón
The "Salsa & Bachata Fridays" initiative was honored with the Internationalization Award in 2021. The weekly dance classes are attended by international students, TUD employees and locals from Dresden. They connect people through the joy of Latin American dances such as salsa and bachata and offer a platform for meeting new people and having fun together. During the dance classes, various languages are spoken by the participants, including German, English, Spanish, and Persian. The dance group, which meets weekly at TUSCULUM, has grown steadily thanks to its warm, family-like atmosphere and the recommendations of its members. By now, it also encourages larger audiences to dance salsa at performances at the TUD Campus Festival.

„elbMUN“ - represented by Moritz Habbig
In 2024, the student association elbMUN (elbe Model United Nations e.V.) was honored with the Internationalization Award. Founded in 2010, the association promotes interest in the work of the United Nations by organizing an annual Model United Nations conference - a simulation of a UN conference – and engages young people in international discourse. By connecting participants from all over the world and teaching diplomatic skills, elbMUN makes an important contribution to addressing the global challenges of our time.

The projects presented in the video are just a few of the impressive initiatives that have been recognized by the Internationalization Award. Many other award winners continue to actively contribute to the internationalization of our university. Among them is Dr. Cathleen Bochmann, who received the award in 2021 for the “CouReg” project. She recently led an interactive workshop on “Conflict Management in Saxon Municipalities” as part of the TUD Global Citizenship Lab in winter semester 2025/26. Also, Dr. Sebastian Spitzer, who received the Internationalization Award in 2024 for the "National Network Korea" was involved at the Global Citizenship Lab in summer semester 2025 with a pitch round and panel discussion on the topic of "Partnership, Participation and Engagement".

More information about the Internationalization Award and previous winners can be found here.

© Sven Ellger/TUD

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