Student from Brazil honoured for her international engagement
The University of Münster has honoured the Brazilian student Maria Letícia Sousa Borges with the 2026 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Prize in recognition of her comprehensive engagement and academic achievements. Maria Letícia Sousa Borges was enrolled in the master’s programme “Comparative and Global Law” in the Faculty of Law at the University of Münster for two semesters und successfully completed her degree in September. “You are a successful bridge-builder,” said University Rector Prof Dr Susanne Menzel-Riedl. “Not only are you creating opportunities for others, but you are building a lasting and valuable bond between the academic worlds of Germany and Brazil.”
Maria Letícia Sousa Borges was significantly involved in the conclusion of a partnership between the universities of Münster and Brasília, to which she gave the decisive impetus. In addition to that she is a co-organiser of the “Brazilian Law Exchange Program” at the University of Brasília. The free, English-language programme teaches international students the ins and outs of the Brazilian legal system, thereby creating an opportunity for professional and cultural exchange. Students from Münster also participated in the most recent course. “The prize gives me certainty that I have left my mark in Münster,” says Maria Letícia Sousa Borges. "Now that I have returned to Brazil, I carry a piece of Germany with me.”
The DAAD Prize for outstanding achievements by international students at German universities, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, comes with 1,000 euros in prize money. The award is meant to emphasise the enrichment that foreign students bring to university communities. For the University of Münster, in particular, the prize expresses its appreciation for this group and their social contribution.