An evening of celebration and reflection: Farewell Ceremony 2025, Brandt Lecture, and Commitment Award

At the heart of the evening was the Farewell Ceremony for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Batch 2025, honoring 36 graduates from around the world. Family, friends, faculty, and guests gathered at Collegium Maius to celebrate the achievements of this truly international cohort, who over the past two years have deepened their knowledge, honed their skills, and forged lifelong connections in Erfurt.

The Brandt School leadership highlighted the graduates’ resilience, dedication, and commitment to addressing today’s pressing global challenges. The evening also featured special recognition for outstanding achievements:

• The Academic Merit Award was bestowed upon Idowu Olamilekan Adeyemi for exceptional academic performance during the MPP program.
   
• The Dietmar Herz Award was presented to Loise Effah Yeboah, honoring her commitment, enthusiasm, and spirit of service to the government, as exemplified by the Brandt School’s founding director, Prof. Dr. Dietmar Herz.
   
• The Excellence in Service and Leadership Award was presented to Sofia Navarro Kienast for her tireless engagement on behalf of fellow students and her strong sense of service to society, selected based on nominations and votes by her peers.

These awards highlight the diverse ways in which Brandt School students excel—not only academically but also through leadership and dedication to the public good.

As part of the evening, the audience was also invited to reflect on the critical role of science in society during the Brandt Lecture 2025, delivered by Professor Bettina Rockenbach, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. In her thought-provoking lecture, “How free is science in the era of geopolitical upheaval?”, Professor Rockenbach explored the challenges and responsibilities of safeguarding academic freedom amid rising global tensions. Her insights underscored the vital connection between independent research and evidence-based policymaking, reminding the audience of the shared duty of academia, policymakers, and society to defend the freedom of knowledge production.

The evening also celebrated innovation and social impact through the Commitment Award 2025. Jointly organized by the Brandt School and the Engagementpreis-Stiftung, the award recognizes outstanding social initiatives by current students and alumni that address pressing societal and political challenges. This year’s winning projects once again showcased the creativity, compassion, and determination of the Brandt School community to bring about meaningful change, both locally and globally.

Bringing together the farewell of a remarkable graduating class, a powerful reflection on academic freedom, and the celebration of social innovation, this evening perfectly captured the essence of the Brandt School. It was a night that honored the past achievements of the graduates, highlighted the importance of academic and civic responsibility, and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to shaping a new generation of changemakers who will carry the values of Willy Brandt into the future.