Bremerhaven student Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne receives DAAD prize

Voluntary commitment to international students honoured

Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne's interest in the language led him from Cameroon to Clausthal-Zellerfeld for a German course. Good contacts with people who can help with questions, language barriers and challenges have helped him time and again. As a student in Bremerhaven, he therefore volunteers to help international students who are new to Germany and need to familiarise themselves with the foreign culture and language. The student has now been honoured by the German Academic Exchange Service with the DAAD prize for his outstanding commitment.

The fact that he would one day study in Germany was not originally the prizewinner's goal. He actually only wanted to do a language course out of interest and then travel to America to join his family. But things turned out differently. ‘I wanted to do the course near my two favourite German cities, Hanover and Hamburg, so I came to Clausthal-Zellerfeld. I had the best time of my stay in Germany there. Because I feel at home here and really like the German culture and language, I thought more and more about studying in Germany during my course,’ says Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne. He initially enrolled at Clausthal University of Technology to study business informatics. However, he found the degree programme there too theoretical, which is why he looked for a university with more practical relevance.

Bremerhaven instead of Bremen

A mistake ultimately led to Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne enrolling at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. He actually wanted to study at Bremen University of Applied Sciences like his cousin. He liked the idea of knowing someone locally who could explain everything to him and with whom he could travel to campus in the morning. However, when applying, he ended up on the Bremerhaven University platform by chance. ‘I didn't know Bremerhaven and thought that it was probably part of Bremen. So I enrolled there. I later spoke to my cousin about it and asked him if we were on the same campus. Only then did I realise that we weren't even studying at the same university,’ says the student with a laugh. Instead of worrying about it for long, he decided to take action and travelled to Bremerhaven. ‘I wanted to see the city and the university and was immediately pleasantly surprised. I hadn't realised before that the campus is right on the water. And I also really like the red buildings.’ 

He quickly made new contacts at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, including with other students from Cameroon. But although he had been in Germany for some time and had learnt the language, starting his studies was not easy. ‘We were given a lot of information during the orientation week. It all happened so quickly that we hardly understood anything. When we were talking about it in French, our home language, in the cafeteria, computer science professor Ulrike Erb came to our table. She speaks French and then explained everything to us again,’ says Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne. The fact that face-to-face teaching was no longer permitted a short time later due to the coronavirus pandemic made the initial period at the university even more difficult. These experiences and the need to make new contacts after the pandemic motivated Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne to get involved with other international students. When the International Office's call to apply to be a buddy landed in his mailbox, he didn't hesitate for long. ‘I'm very interested in other cultures and languages. The buddy programme was the perfect opportunity for me to meet new people and network. I also wanted to brush up on my English. It had deteriorated quite a bit in Germany.’ 

‘I have made many new friends through my work as a buddy.’

He initially became a buddy for two Thai students. His first task was to pick them up from the airport and take them to their flat. There he was supposed to help as an interpreter during the conversation with the landlady. But things turned out a little differently. ‘When I arrived at the airport, there weren't just two students from Thailand waiting for me, but a whole group. The others actually had other buddies, but they couldn't get in touch with them easily. So word got around that there was someone to help,’ recalls the student. Over time, a friendship developed that has lasted to this day. 

Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne enjoyed his work so much that he immediately applied again. And many international students contacted him because they wanted him to be their buddy. ‘Word gets around quickly abroad about which university offers particularly good support. The students also give each other tips on who is a good person to contact and put them in touch. If they feel they are in good hands, it's good publicity for the university,’ he says. Later, the International Office offered him the position of head of the Local Erasmus Initiative (LEI). Here he works with other local students to support those who come to the university for a semester abroad. ‘My aim is to pass on the great feeling of helping others and getting to know people from all over the world to other local students. I've made a lot of friends through my work.’ But he also really appreciates the exchange with other volunteers from Erasmus initiatives. Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne has already been to several network meetings in European cities. ‘Many initiatives talk about their experiences. It's reassuring to see that we all have the same problems. For example, it's difficult to motivate other students to get involved. And some only have certificates. That's a shame, because they miss out on the great exchange.’

Great commitment led to nomination

In addition to his studies, his own stays abroad and his work as a buddy and in the Local Erasmus Initiative, he also supports the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Diversity and worked at the International Summer School 2024. Ulrich Kameni Ngango Veigne was nominated for the DAAD award by Prof. Dr Dr Gerhard Feldmeier, Dean of Faculty 2. ‘I know Mr Kameni personally well as a student from his participation in the Blended Intensive Programme and the German-Polish Joint Seminar. There he was characterised by a high degree of social competence and empathy and acted as an ideal team player and international bridge builder. As a working student in the organisation and implementation of our International Summer School 2024, he was responsible for looking after the participating students and lecturers from all over the world. And as chairman of the local LEI initiative, he also supports international students at the university on a voluntary and caring basis and contributes to their good linguistic, social and cultural integration with numerous activities,’ the professor explains the nomination. The award was presented during the graduation ceremony on 24 January 2025.