Maecenas Kurt Hagen Donated 2.4 Million Euro to Support the UL Students

Photo Gallery The administration and management of the Scholarship is assigned to the UL Foundation. The institution promotes access to the education, allocates scholarships to the students of the UL and other universities, as well as participates in projects relating to the improvement of the learning environment, reconstruction and material technical basis. Kurt Hagen has become the second major Maecenas of the UL after the Great Maecenas Kristaps Morbergs (1844-1928) whose Scholarship has been received by already 381 students since the academic year 2001 /2002. The successful work of the UL is guarantee for Latvia’s development, nearly 100 Maecenas, who have provided support to the UL, agree with this. Facts About Kurt Hagen Kurt Hagen was born in Riga. During the World War II he left Latvia together with his mother Vera Hagen. He spent most of his life in Austria and Germany, and passed away in Hamburg, at the age of 84. As shown by K. Hagen’s correspondence, he received primary education in Riga, afterwards continuing his studies abroad. From May 1936 to August 1937, he studied in Berlin. From September 1937 to 1938 he studied at Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and obtained a degree in Performing Arts. After graduating from the Academy he started a successful career in acting and journalism. K. Hagens also worked at Vienna Burgh Theatre and Vienna Chamber Theatre. Since K. Hagen did not have any children of his own, he decided to leave money by will to the Latvian students, so they could have an opportunity to study in Germany. K. Hagen mentioned in the letters that he considered Latvia as his homeland. Kurt Hagen’s Scholarship K. Hagen’s bequest will each year allow 16 students to participate in exchange programmes at German universities. The Scholarship’s amount will be 3000 euro for one term of studies. Applications for Kurt Hagen’s Scholarship will be accepted twice a year – from 31 March to 31 May, this year, for the 2011 /2012 fall semester and from 30 October to 30 December 2011 for the 2011 /2012 spring semester. The UL full-time MA and PhD students (except the final-year students), who are planning to study in one of the UL Partner Universities in Germany for the academic year 2011 /2012, are eligible for the Scholarship. When assessing applications, the Scholarship’s Commission will take into account applicant’s progress in studies, motivation, special achievements and merits at the UL, active participation in the organization of study process, as well as foreign language skills. To select the best candidates, interviews will take place in person.


Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.