Between the Sounds
Arts Management student Maria Varnava receives the 2026 DAAD Prize
In recognition of outstanding academic achievement and sustained commitment to the university community, the Franz Liszt University of Music Weimar awards the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Prize annually. The 2026 DAAD Prize, worth 1,000 euros, has been awarded to Cypriot student Maria Varnava.
Maria Varnava is studying Arts Management with a focus on Cultural Anthropology at the Department of Musicology Weimar-Jena and has distinguished herself through outstanding academic performance, particularly in the areas of cultural marketing, cultural policy, and cultural theory. “She consistently combines theoretical knowledge with practical application and demonstrates her ability to actively shape professional discourse,” says her Arts Management instructor Kerstin Gerth.
A symbol of this is the “KuMagazin” founded by Maria Varnava, in which she gives a voice to experts from academia and the professional world. In her magazine, she specifically gives international students a voice, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and life as a student in Weimar.
Varnava’s cultural project “Between Sounds” deserves special recognition: on her own initiative, she conceived and organized an intercultural concert with the goal of making music a tangible force for connection between international and German students. The project, funded by the DAAD’s STIBET-I program, impressively exceeded its target attendance figures.
In addition to her studies and personal projects, Maria Varnava, born in Cyprus in 1999, is active on the Student Council of the Weimar Music University, where she is responsible for student events. Whether it’s a Christmas party, a picnic, or a New Year’s ball—she actively contributes to shaping student community life and fostering networking. Working closely with the university administration and the International Office, she is committed to ensuring that all students are heard and represented.
The DAAD Prize has been awarded for more than ten years and aims to give faces and stories to the large numbers of international students at German universities. Maria Varnava exemplifies what international students achieve and bring to the table: each and every one of them takes a piece of Germany back home—and leaves a piece of themselves here. Maria Varnava embodies this mutual enrichment—in academia, culture, and society—in a special way.
“This award means a great deal to me—as recognition of my commitment, but also as a signal that the voices of international students are being heard,” says the award winner. “For me, my studies are linked to ambition, hope, and a deep inner purpose—even if the path isn’t always easy.”
[27 May 2026]