FAQ

The Foundation of German Business (Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft) or SDW for short, was founded upon the initiative of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA). BDA is the umbrella organisation of all employers’ associations in Germany. Foundation members include German business associations and the family of business leader and former BDA president Dr. Klaus Murmann. Furthermore, the supporting association of SDW, to which 70 companies presently belong, ensures continual commitment.

The objective of SDW is to persuade private individuals, foundations, business associations, companies and also governmental institutions to promote young talent and to develop top quality educational programmes in diverse cooperation schemes. Each of these programmes is geared toward selected groups, e.g. toward especially gifted and committed students and doctoral candidates or toward pupils who have the potential for university studies, but who still need orientation and guidance. The aim of these programmes is to give the young generation the best possible preconditions for a good start in a successful and fulfilling professional life. All programmes are therefore oriented on current demands on the qualifications of young people.

Primarily, SDW realises its programmes and projects in Germany but there are also activities that go beyond national boundaries. For instance, in recent years SDW has realised a cross-border project in its School & Business programme to promote international vocational orientation for high school students. Many schools and companies from Eastern European countries were involved in this project. Even the Klaus Murmann Fellowship Programme looks beyond Germany’s borders. Nearly all scholarship recipients study one or two semesters at a foreign university or have an internship in a foreign country, and the Fellowship Programme establishes support groups in places where there are especially many scholarship recipients. The first support groups have been established in Paris and London. A group will be set up in Madrid as well. Scholarship recipients develop their own activities, and include companies and institutions from their environment. Likewise, SDW also grants scholarships to foreign students in Germany. Thus, a fruitful intercultural dialogue also develops in the groups for scholarship holders in Germany.

The Klaus Murmann Fellowship Programme offers the best opportunities to participate, also for foreign companies. Companies interested in dialogue with open-minded, internationally oriented students and doctoral candidates can join the supporting association and as official partner of SDW can actively contribute to designing the promotion programme for the scholarship recipients. Even in other foundation areas the participation of foreign companies is very welcome. We at SDW will be glad to inform you about the various options.