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Ex­cel­lent thesis: HNU gradu­ate re­ceives Bav­arian Cul­ture Prize 2020

16.11.2020, Press Release :

On November 12, 2020, Sandra Blank was awarded the Bavarian Culture Prize of Bayernwerk AG for her master's thesis in the Advanced Management (M.Sc.) program at the University of Applied Sciences Neu-Ulm (HNU). In her excellent final thesis, the graduate had accompanied the change in corporate culture of a globally operating company. This year's ceremony took place online; Bayernwerk handed over the prizes via live stream. 

The 29-year-old is one of 33 graduates of state colleges and universities in Bavaria who received their awards on Thursday evening. In place of the annual ceremony, Bayernwerk had decided this year to present the awards in digital format due to the current infection situation. The event could be watched in a live stream and the prize winners were introduced via video messages. 

A special end of the studies: Award for Master's thesis in the field of change management

"We are very pleased about the award for this outstanding thesis", says HNU President Prof. Dr. Uta M. Feser. "It is also an expression of the successful transfer of knowledge and technology between university and economy on the part of our students". The HNU graduate had dedicated her work in the area of "Finance and Accouting" to the topic of change management and had accompanied a global company for commercial kitchen equipment in its change of corporate culture. To this end, she evaluated a globally conducted survey among employees and set up a suitable program together with those responsible. "The award is a particularly fine conclusion to the last few years and a great appreciation and recognition of my work," says Sandra Blank. "The statue will always remind me of my great years of study".

Traditional award honors outstanding scientific achievements

For more than 60 years, Bayernwerk has been honoring successes in science and art, and since 2005 it has been awarding the Bavarian Culture Prize in partnership with the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art. It goes back to the Cultural Prize of Eastern Bavaria, which was first awarded in 1959. The prizes in the field of science are endowed with 2,000 euros each. "The award-winning scientists give valuable impulses to the Free State of Bavaria. They broaden our horizons and sharpen our awareness of social connections. They consolidate Bavaria's role as an important location for art and science", said Reimund Gotzel, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayernwerk, underlining the achievements of the prize winners in the Science Division.

A recording of the award ceremony is available to interested parties at https://www.bayernwerk.de/kulturpreis2020 (opens in a new window).

Prizewinner Sandra Blank is delighted about the Bavarian Culture Prize and the bronze statue associated with it (opens enlarged image)
Prizewinner Sandra Blank is delighted about the Bavarian Culture Prize and the bronze statue associated with it