Press release: Excellent academic achievements and dedication

No. 156 - 21.10.2025

Margherita Cusmano receives DAAD Prize for outstanding international students

Margherita Cusmano, a PhD student in social sciences from Italy studying in Göttingen, has received this year's German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) award for outstanding international students. In her thesis at the University of Göttingen and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Cusmano explores how migrants in Germany perceive and judge economic inequality. The panel commended her expertise and her commitment to refugees, as well as to international students and researchers. The prize is for 1,000 euros.

Cusmano completed a bachelor degree in linguistics in Bergamo, Italy, and then a master’s in sociology at Göttingen University. In her master's thesis, which was awarded a grade of 1.1, she examined how “illegalized refugees experience legal practices of (im)mobilization”. She interviewed refugees in three countries to shed light on their living conditions after deportation. In her dissertation, she excelled at advanced statistics using an ingenious combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. In doing so, she demonstrated analytical depth, writing talent and perseverance in dealing with large data sets.

During her PhD, Cusmano founded a network for international PhD researchers to exchange ideas about the “unwritten rules” of the German academic world, to reduce uncertainties about their stay, and lessen language barriers. She also organises meetings with international professors for the network to discuss career paths.

In addition, she supported refugees and migrants in her work at the Göttingen Refugee Law Clinic and was involved in the University's buddy programme, providing long-term support to a refugee student. She also helps fellow international students in the University's partnership programme. In addition, she is committed to ensuring that University mentoring programmes meet the specific challenges faced by international academics with the aim of increasing the retention of international talent in German academia.

“The DAAD Prize enables us to recognise a graduate and early career researcher at the University of Göttingen who is not just impressive because of her outstanding academic achievements and innovative research, but also because of her ability to build bridges: her tireless commitment to international students and PhD researchers shows how diversity strengthens our University and develops talent,” says Dr Heinrich Hagel, Head of the Incoming Office at Göttingen International.

The Göttingen students Abihlasha Singh, who studies Modern Indian Studies, Jouyandeh Barabadi Siyamak, who studies Intercultural German Studies, and Zhengze Li, a PhD researcher in Computer Science, were also recognised for their outstanding commitment.

Contact:

Dr Uwe Muuß

University of Göttingen

The International Office

Von-Siebold-Strasse 2, 37075 Göttingen, Germany

Tel: +49 (0) 0551 39-27775

Email: Uwe.Muuss@zvw.uni-goettingen.de