Sofia Chybisova is involved in the life of the university in a remarkable way: As an employee in the International Office at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, she oversees the Buddy Programme, supports international students with organisational and personal issues and actively shapes a welcoming culture that focuses on openness, orientation and mutual support.
Outside of campus, she volunteers with PUSH UA, a Ukrainian initiative in Potsdam that supports refugees and the Ukrainian diaspora. She organises demonstrations, language caf¨¦s and cultural events. In Berlin, she supports the Serpen Gallery, a gallery for contemporary art, by organising exhibitions on a voluntary basis. She has also completed further training in trauma-sensitive work with refugees - knowledge that she incorporates into her work.

Sofia Chybisova has also gained experience at an international level: In the USA, she has been active in social and ecological projects - including a greening initiative in Washington D.C. and in the field of political education at a high school in Washington state. As an artist, she is also committed to social causes: At charity events such as the "Airlift" art auction or the Green Week in Berlin, she collected donations for Ukrainian hospitals, rehabilitation centres and humanitarian aid projects.
"Ms Chybisova is an example of what international students at universities can and want to achieve. She combines her academic work with a deep sense of social responsibility and a tireless commitment to working together. Especially at a time when international cooperation and integration are more important than ever, her commitment is a strong signal of openness, solidarity and creative power. We are proud to honour her as the winner of the DAAD Prize 2025 at our university," said Prof. Dr Eva Schmitt-Rodermund, President of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

DAAD Prize
The DAAD Prize, which is funded by the Federal Foreign Office, is awarded annually to international students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and social and intercultural commitment. The prize is intended to help make the large number of international students at German universities more visible and thus emphasise their stories. It is endowed with 1000 euros.

The DAAD is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year under the motto: 100 years of change through exchange. The DAAD, originally founded to enable students at German universities to spend time abroad, is the world's largest organisation for the promotion of international academic exchange.