Press release
Elitsa Dimitrova receives the 2026 DAAD Prize
Elitsa Dimitrova, a Product Design student at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, has been awarded the 2026 DAAD Prize. The prize recognises her outstanding academic achievements as well as her wide-ranging social commitment – both in academic self-governance and through her many years of voluntary work in Bulgaria and Germany.
Elitsa Dimitrova is in her fourth semester of Product Design at the Department of Design and has already demonstrated an impressive breadth of expertise in this relatively short time. She is equally adept at traditional design techniques and digital media, moves confidently between communication design and three-dimensional design, and combines creative quality with a critical eye for the content behind the form. Her style of expression is as precise as her design work.
Alongside her creative work, Elitsa Dimitrova takes on active responsibility within the university: with the campus ambulance, she supports applicants through the artistic entrance examination; since the winter semester 2025/26, she has also represented the interests of her fellow students as a student member of the Departmental Council and has been involved in decisions on university policy.
However, her commitment extends far beyond everyday university life. Even before starting her degree, she was involved for three years with PanGea, the youth organisation of WWF Bulgaria, and volunteered for four years at the Sofia Science Festival. Since 2024, she has also been active with Hashove, the Bulgarian-German Students’ Association in Berlin, and is committed to promoting cultural exchange between Bulgaria and Germany.
“Democracy thrives on people getting involved – on them having a say, taking part in decision-making and taking on responsibility. This applies to society as a whole, and it applies just as much to our university. Ms Dimitrova impressively demonstrates how international students enrich our university: through academic excellence, diverse perspectives and an exceptional commitment to society. We thank her for this and warmly congratulate her on winning the DAAD Prize 2026,” said Prof. Dr Eva Schmitt-Rodermund, University President of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, at the award ceremony on the 8th of July 2026.
DAAD Prize
The DAAD Prize has been funded by the Federal Foreign Office since 1995 and is awarded annually to international students who stand out for their academic achievement as well as their social and intercultural engagement. It aims to highlight the diversity of international students at universities in Germany and to tell their individual stories. The award is worth 1,000 Euro.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) was originally founded to enable German students to study abroad and is now the world’s largest organisation promoting international academic exchange.
