Guest Speaker Alexander Bonde

Alexander Bonde, the Minister for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection in Baden Württemberg, was the guest speaker. Mr. Bonde praised the importance of the University in this rural area in his speech. “Here in Offenburg the rural area shows its best side, but also its economic strength. The well qualified young people who graduate from this University in Offenburg, year for year, have the chance here in Baden Württemberg to continue to be successful”, he pointed out to the graduates.

Title of Honorary Citizen for Dr. Martin Herrenknecht
A successful businessman not only in this Ortenau area, but worldwide, received the title of honorary citizen at the University Offenburg ceremony: Dr. Martin Herrenknecht, founder and chairman of the board of Herrenknecht AG in Schwanau. Only seven people in this 50 year history of the University have received this honor.
Dr. Herrenknecht impressed the audience with the number of engineers employed by Herrenknecht, who had graduated from the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg: “we employ more than 170 engineers from this University” With a wry smile he added:” If the University had existed when I was young I certainly would have studied here” The internationally successful businessman emphasized:” I will continue to promote cooperation between my company and the University”.

Aneeque Hassan Receives DAAD Prize
This graduation ceremony was characterized by the international students: this year’s German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Prize which is traditionally awarded at the University ceremony in autumn was given to the student Aneeque Hassan from Pakistan. He was born in Lahore on 19 November 1987. After studying Telecommunications at the National University of Computer and Emerging Science in Lahore, he worked for two years at a Pakistani telecommunications company in Lahore. Aneeque Hassan has studied for his Master degree in Communication and Media Engineering since the winter semester 2011/12 at the University in Offenburg.
The student not only received this prize for his excellent academic performance, but also for his strong commitment to the University:”You help out when there is a shortage of tutors and also to organize the orientation weeks” the Vice Rector Professor Dr. Rainer Bender praised. Prof. Dr. Bender presented the prize to Aneeque Hassan on behalf of the president of the German Academic Exchange Service, Professor Dr. Margret Wintermantel. This 1,000 euro prize has been given to each university since 1995. It should contribute to giving the many foreign students at German universities a personal touch and to integrate them in the history of the university.

ECM Graduate Roberto Rendón Hold the Graduation Speech
Roberto Rendón from Mexico held the graduation speech for the summer semester 2012 graduates. The 28 year-old graduate of the Master Studies “Energy Conversion and Management” (ECM) at the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, is an example that it is worthwhile taking the chance to study abroad. While at school he spent a year in Erfurt as an exchange student: “that year was so valuable to me” he said in his speech. His guest family at that time had even travelled from Erfurt to attend the graduation ceremony. “A piece of Germany will always be in my heart because of my time here” he added.
During his mechanical engineering studies at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey” he did international internships and studied for a semester in Australia. After his Bachelor degree he managed projects in a biscuit factory (belonging to Pepsi Corp.) in Mexico. These projects were about increasing the energy efficiency and decreasing the consumption of raw materials.
In a scientific project and for his Master thesis he wrote about the use of solar energy in Mexico at Siemens in Frankfurt/Main. “It was a strong wish of mine to continue my studies abroad – I came to Germany to deepen my knowledge by studying challenging subjects”, he stated the reason for his choice of study. He thanked the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg on behalf of all the graduates with the final sentence: “Muchas gracias por todo su apoyo – many thanks for all your support!”