Bingchen Zhou from China Receives DAAD Award

A student at Philipps University volunteers as a language teacher to help refugees

For her outstanding academic achievements and social commitment, Bingchen Zhou from China has been awarded the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) prize, worth 1,000 euros. Zhou studied German as a Foreign Language (DaF) at Philipps University and is considered one of the top students in her class. In addition, she volunteers as a language teacher in refugee aid programs, including at the Steinmühle. The award was presented by Prof. Dr. Evelyn Korn, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Philipps University.

Zhou successfully completed her bachelor’s degree in German Studies at Wuhan University, one of China’s most prestigious universities, and came to Marburg in 2016 to pursue a master’s degree in German as a Foreign Language. The topic of her thesis, which was supervised by Prof. Dr. Una Dirks of the German as a Foreign Language research group at the Institute of German Linguistics, was: “Typical Errors Made by Chinese Learners of German in the Use of Definite and Indefinite Articles: An Analysis Using a Pre- and Post-Test Design”; a topic that has been largely neglected in language teaching research to date. “For learners of German whose native language, like Chinese, lacks articles, the development of appropriate language support measures in this area is of central importance,” says Dirks, who nominated Zhou for the award. With her study, Zhou not only addressed a gap in the research but also paved the way for her future academic career—the young Chinese researcher hopes to pursue her doctorate at the University of Marburg.

The DAAD Prize also recognizes Zhou’s wide-ranging commitment to a variety of volunteer roles, particularly her work as a language teacher in refugee aid and in intensive German-as-a-second-language classes. One of these classes is located at Steinmühle High School, which recently became an official partner school of Philipps University. “Wherever Ms. Zhou has offered her help, she acts not only as a language mediator but also as a cultural mediator. Using pragmatic, everyday approaches, she promotes self-understanding and understanding of others among new immigrants and contributes to mutual appreciation and the development of new ways of thinking and acting,” says Dirks. This is clear evidence of her willingness to actively engage with current social challenges in Germany.

The DAAD Prize is awarded once a year to international students who are pursuing their studies in Germany and have distinguished themselves through exceptional academic achievement and remarkable social or intercultural engagement. The recipients are selected by their respective universities. The prize money is provided by the Federal Foreign Office.

Photo: Christina Mühlenkamp