The DAAD prize for outstanding achievements of foreign students is awarded this year by the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University to Tran Bich Ngoc Kretz from Vietnam, who has been studying Computer Engineering in Albstadt since 2017 and stands out not only because of her extraordinarily good academic achievements, but also because of her personal commitment. Due to the current situation the award ceremony took place online.

“Tran Bich Ngoc Kretz was proposed and selected by a commission because she has by far the best grades,” says Dr. Conny Bast, head of the International Office at the university. In addition, she had been on maternity leave and parental leave for two semesters, but despite having a small child, she continued her studies just as successfully after parental leave as before. The 27-year-old is also involved as a tutor at the university and thus offers valuable help to students in younger semesters.

At the award ceremony, she was nevertheless surprised that she had been nominated for the 1000 euro prize. “This is a great recognition,” she said. From the point of view of Rector Dr. Ingeborg Mühldorfer, however, there is no reason for too much modesty: “You have excellent grades and that despite your challenging personal situation,” she said. “That is quite an achievement.”

Tran Bich Ngoc Kretz went from Vietnam to Finland after graduating from high school in 2011, studied Business Administration in English and spent an exchange semester in Neu-Ulm and Ulm. “I was so positively impressed by Germany that I wanted to return,” she says. After further stopovers, she finally came to the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences. Tran Bich Ngoc Kretz is married and has one daughter.