The Claas Stiftung has been active since 1999 and its aim is to encourage the younger generation to become involved in advanced farming and associated sciences as well as to strengthen the reputation and acceptance of agriculture and the future-oriented impact of advanced farming both nationally and internationally.
The scope of the Claas Stiftung is very broad. It operates in a variety of projects from primary and secondary schools to university students. To support university students, the foundation works with an international team of experts in the field of agricultural sciences and collaborates with renowned German and foreign universities.
Motivating students for further education in modern agricultural technology and techniques is supported by the International Student Prize. This is an award given to students from foreign partner universities for an excellently prepared and defended bachelor thesis. Three students from each university are awarded the prize each year on the basis of a proposal and after consideration by the Claas Stiftung. The winners receive their award in person at a ceremony held by the Foundation's management at the Claas headquarters in Harsewinkel (Germany). Student awards for second and third place are presented by the Dean of the Technical Faculty of SPU in Nitra at a meeting of the Scientific Council. Two years ago, when due to pandemic measures the awards were presented by videoconference, so far 11 students have received their awards in person, mostly from the hands of Helmut Claas (1926 - 2021). It is very gratifying that they are today successful managers, technologists but also teachers.
Sylvia Looks, Member of the CLAAS Foundation Executive Board, and Dr Hagen Adam, CLAAS KGaA mbH visited the Technical Faculty of SPU Nitra on June 1, 2023. They listened with interest to the information about the direction of the faculty, about which they were informed by the management of the Faculty headed by prof. Ing. Roman Gálik, PhD. This was followed by a nice informal meeting with the awarded students, who met the guests again after many years. Discussions were mainly devoted to how their professional career is progressing and how the award has influenced it. Sylvia Looks handed over a certificate to Prof Vladimír Rataj for his long-term collaboration with the CLAAS Foundation.
We believe that such impulses will also arouse young people's interest in modern agricultural techniques and technologies and will inspire both current and future students in their choice of life direction, said Sylvia Looks.