On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, three outstanding theses at the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society were awarded the "Wagner Family Prize 2020" with a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, but in an appropriate setting. The award-winning theses not only deal with cutting-edge issues at a high academic level, but also focus on ethical and social components. Bachelor's graduates Elena Sismani, Annika Kohler and Barbara Kolbinger received the award, which is endowed with a total of 3,000 euros, from the hands of the founder, Dr. Dieter Wagner, and his family.
This is the seventh time that the "Wagner Family Sponsorship Award" has been presented at the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society: With this award, the donor family around the long-standing Chairman of the University Council and Honorary Senator Dr. Dieter Wagner honors Bachelor's and Master's theses that deal with values and ethical-social behavior in social contexts in a scientifically sound manner. On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the "Wagner Family Sponsorship Award 2020", endowed with a total of 3,000 euros, was awarded to Bachelor graduates Elena Sismani, Annika Kohler and Barbara Kolbinger at a ceremony hosted by the Department of Management, Controlling, HealthCare with a delay due to coronavirus and in a small but festive setting. The ceremony was streamed live.
This year, Elena Sismani, a graduate of the dual Bachelor's degree program in Health Economics in Practice (GiP), took first place with prize money of 1,500 euros each for her thesis on "Orphan Drugs - The Tension between Innovation and Affordability". In this thesis, written in cooperation with her training company Pronova BKK, Sismani focuses on "orphan drugs", i.e. medicines for rare diseases for which there was no interest in research and development on the part of pharmaceutical manufacturers for a long time due to low sales volumes. "Today, orphan drugs are worthwhile medicines due to incentive effects and incomplete pricing mechanisms, which demonstrate the tension between innovation and affordability like no other area. In the long term, the healthcare system, which is limited in terms of resources, is being shaken by the attempt to secure treatment without prioritization and discrimination," explained prizewinner Elena Sismani. Laudator Prof. Dr. Elke Raum, physician and Professor of Medical Management at the Department of Management, Controlling and HealthCare, was impressed by the rigor of the work and praised its high scientific quality, practical relevance and social significance, which had convinced her and the entire jury.
The second prize of 1,000 euros was awarded to Annika Kohler, a former fellow student of Elena Sismani's on the Bachelor's degree course in Health Economics in Practice and now a Master's student at HWG LU. Her Bachelor's thesis "ePrivacy Regulation - A challenge for the introduction of new data protection and security measures on the Internet" examines the draft EU regulation on the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the provision and use of electronic communications services in the European Union. "The legislative process on the ePrivacy Regulation only intensified a few weeks ago and is still ongoing. Ms Kohler's Bachelor's thesis could hardly be more topical," praised Prof. Dr. Andreas Rein, lawyer and Professor of Social Services Law at the Department of Social and Health Care, in his laudatory speech. In addition, the protection of data and fundamental freedoms in the use of communication services is a topic of great social importance, said Rein.
Third place, worth 500 euros, went to Barbara Kolbinger, a graduate of the Bachelor's degree program in Nursing Dual, for her thesis entitled "Opportunities and hurdles of digital learning in nursing. E-learning and co. as a replacement or supplement to face-to-face training?". "Ms Kolbinger took a critical and reflective look at the topic of e-learning in continuing education and training even before it dominated education and learning due to the pandemic, almost prophetically," said Andreas Rein in his laudatory speech with a twinkle in his eye. She came to the well-founded conclusion that e-learning is a good addition, but not the only solution - a conclusion that he definitely shares after last year's experiences.
University President Prof. Dr. Peter Mudra also referred to the extraordinary situation of the past year in his welcoming address and praised the award winners explicitly and to a certain extent on behalf of all students for their patience and outstanding achievements despite the challenging circumstances. "This pandemic has shown us that digital channels help us to connect. We have succeeded comparatively well. However, what we need even more is genuine connection," says the President.
In his very personal greeting to the award winners, Dr. Dieter Wagner pointed out that the changed conditions for education, learning and working over the past year were not bad per se: "When will we get back to the 'old' normal? - Hopefully never, because we have learned so much!" He told the award winners: "Go your own way, break new ground: be courageous, tackle things instead of being paralyzed by fears and concerns! Take responsibility! And: Dare to make mistakes, because you learn the most from them," he advised the three successful graduates.
The "Wagner Family Prize" is awarded annually and is aimed at graduates from all four Departments of the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society. "For my family and me, the ethical and social component, the focus on people, is an important part of every degree course and an indispensable foundation for our future careers. The Covid-19 pandemic has once again confirmed this view," explained Dr. Dieter Wagner in the run-up to the award ceremony. This year's jury consisted of Prof. Dr. Elke Raum, Prof. Dr. Harry Müller, Dieter Ott, Prof. Dr. Andreas Rein, Pastor Dr. Günther Geisthardt, Dr. Dieter Wagner and students Carolin Kotzot and Nina Marx. The "Wagner Family Sponsorship Award 2021" is expected to be awarded in the fall of this year.
