Arpat Erken Receives DAAD Prize
25-year-old Arpat discovered his interest in mathematics while he was still at school. He then pursued a bachelor’s program in Business Administration in Shanghai. As an intern in finance, he discovered that he wanted to focus on finance in his master's program. He decided to go to the University of Mannheim, while he spent a semester abroad in California. “I kept hearing from students who highly recommended the University of Mannheim for Business Administration,” says the student.
The structure of the program was also a decisive factor in his choice to pursue the Mannheim Master in Management program. “I really appreciate the fact that you can choose the courses,” explains Arpat, describing the program in Mannheim as much more theory-oriented than in China. The grading systems were also different: In China, for example, 70 percent of the grade were based on presentations and 30 percent on final exams. In Mannheim, written exams were the norm. “This makes learning more demanding and requires intensive preparation for the examination phase,” explains the student.
Arpat's motivation was instilled in him at an early age. “In China, we were expected to perform well at school, and we were taught to get good grades, both at school and later at university,” he reports. He is also the first in his family to study in Germany and would like to continue living here after he graduates. This goal motivates him to succeed in his academic and professional life. At the same time, he would also like to be able to help his younger sister if she decides to come to Germany one day.
He constantly motivates himself to make his dreams come true. His outlook on life plays an important role here: “Freedom is the most important thing in my life. My last name Erken means freedom in my language. It is a great privilege to be able to do what you want without being restricted by external factors,“ says Arpat. He is already completing his third internship in Germany: after internships in strategy consulting and corporate M&A, he is currently working in a financial advisory firm Kroll in Frankfurt. “I want to be prepared for the German job market,“ explains Arpat.
In addition to his numerous internships, Arpat is also involved in the departmental student committee for Business Administration. This has allowed him to make new friends and to strengthen his connections with German-speaking students. “I join many events organized by the departmental student committee, such as the ‘International Workshop’, where you can exchange experiences with other international students. I also helped plan some of the events,” says the student of the Mannheim Master in Management program.
Arpat is also active in his personal life and founded an international soccer team in the university league, together with his friends. It is the only team of its kind at the university. “In our second semester, my friends and I felt like playing soccer. So, we started our own team,” he recalls. He and friends take care of all the organizational tasks, from jerseys to the training schedule. “We won our first championship right in my third semester. That was great,” says the 25-year-old student. “The selection committee was particularly impressed by Arpat's extraordinary commitment: Shortly after he arrived in Mannheim, he became actively involved in university life. Despite the high demands of his program and internships, it was a personal priority for him to support other students, help them network, and help shape campus life,” says Angela Dörflinger from the International Office.
Arpat will begin to write his master's thesis in September while doing an internship in investment banking. He dreams of finding a full-time position in investment banking and improving his German-language skills so that he can speak German fluently. He is currently living in Frankfurt for his internship but misses Mannheim very much: “I once heard that when you live in Mannheim, you cry twice: once when you arrive and once when you leave. I can only confirm that,“ says Arpat. Due to his career plans in the field of finance, the winner of the DAAD prize can well imagine staying in Frankfurt. ”At the same time, though, I'm glad that I wouldn't be too far away from my friends in Mannheim,“ he adds.
DAAD – 100 Years of Change by Exchange
The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) was founded in 1925. It started out as a student organization. Today, the registered association celebrates its 100th anniversary. The DAAD prize is worth EUR 1,000. Each year, the prize is awarded to an international degree-seeking student at the University of Mannheim. By awarding the prize, a selection committee consisting of the International Office and the schools honors the excellent academic achievements and the volunteer work of the laureate.
Text: Pascale Tamburini / August 2025