Innovation Award of the Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt (Oder)

The Innovation Prize of the Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt (Oder) René Wilke is awarded for outstanding student work in the field of cross-border innovation and cooperation. The prize will be awarded for 2024/2025 in cooperation with the European University Viadrina.

Students from all three Faculties can submit seminar papers, term papers or final theses for the award of an academic degree (in particular BA or MA) that were submitted after 15 July 2024. The theses should make an innovative and application-oriented contribution to the study of cross-border relations and focus on projects that strengthen the region.

Evaluation criteria for the selection of award winners are in particular:

• Thematic focus: Investigation of aspects of cross-border relations, especially in the context of German-Polish cooperation; reference to concrete challenges and development opportunities in the Frankfurt (Oder) - Słubice region

• Degree of innovation: Identification of new topics, approaches, methods and perspectives for solving cross-border problems or expanding existing cooperation

• Practical relevance: potential feasibility of the results in regional projects, economic initiatives or social programmes

• Quality standards: scientifically sound analysis with clear argumentation, methodological accurateness and comprehensible results

The innovation prize is endowed with 2,500 euros. The deadline for submissions is 15 July 2025 and the winners will be selected on the recommendation of a jury appointed by Lord Mayor René Wilke and the President of Viadrina, Prof. Dr Eduard Mühle. If the number of entries submitted is less than six, the jury may propose that the prize not be awarded. Legal recourse is excluded.

The papers and a short expert opinion from the academic supervisor can be submitted in electronic form (pdf) to Dr Sophie Bayer Blears (referentin@europa-uni.de), stating the address, email and telephone number. The award ceremony will take place at a festive event in autumn 2025.

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Selection of previous award winners

• 2023: Antje Wilke, Adrian Piprek and Jasper Mathis Ohler "Local relevance and appreciation as motivation - Lord Mayor awards innovation prizes to three Viadrina alumni" (MA, BA, MA)
• 2022: Clara Philine Janus, Dagmara Kornelia Adamus and Angelika Turecka "A great enrichment not only for the border region" - Viadrina students receive innovation awards from the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt (MA, MA, MA)
• 2021: Sophie Laaß, Marlene Reincke and Rebekka Rein "Their work is characterised by the fact that it provides an intellectual boost for the region!" - Students receive innovation awards from the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt (MA, MA, MA)
• 2020: Adrianna Rosa-Zarzycka, Angelika Turecka and Yanis Hamdali "An impressive example of the enrichment of university and city" - Lord Mayor awards innovation prizes (MA, BA, MA)
• 2019: Julija Gewinner "The influence of lobbying on corporate taxation in Germany using the example of the law against harmful tax practices" (BA)
• 2018: Tom Ziegenbein "Die Mitunternehmerbetriebsstätte bei Leistungen des Mitunternehmers für und an seine Mitunternehmerschaft" (BA)
• 2017: Dr Aleksandra Ligocka "The police hot pursuit across the German-Polish border. On the prerequisites and the exercise of cross-border prosecutions" (dissertation)
• 2016: Martin Schewe "Analyse der steuerlich optimale Finanzierung einer personenbezogenen Kapitalgesellschaft." (BA)
• 2015: Johanna Kolbe "Steuerliche Ergebnisausweispolitik bei Überschussermittlern" (MA)