Awards (Degrees & Manfred Hirschvogel Prize) – Frank Hirschvogel Foundation

The Frank Hirschvogel Foundation annually honors outstanding academic achievements through a series of awards and distinctions. The focus is on excellent bachelor's degrees in the fields of business administration and engineering from selected universities, as well as exceptional dissertations at TU9 universities in the disciplines of mechanical engineering and economics. The initiative aims to highlight excellent theses, encourage young talents, and promote a readiness for innovation in both study and research. The awards are presented in a ceremonial setting during graduation events on site, sending a clear message of commitment, scientific excellence, and practice-oriented research results.

Eligible to participate are students with an outstanding bachelor's degree (grade summa cum laude) from the Duale Hochschule Gera-Eisenach and doctoral candidates with a dissertation in mechanical engineering or economics submitted to one of the nine leading technical universities (TU9). The evaluation particularly considers the excellence of the thesis, its level of innovation, and the practical relevance of the research results achieved. Awardees receive, in addition to a certificate and a monetary prize, a symbolic distinction in the form of a heart bearer, which is part of the Hirschvogel corporate culture. In this way, the foundation links academic recognition with entrepreneurial heritage and sustainably supports the next generation of scientists in Germany.