Moderatorin – Erika Magyarosi Trainer & Coach & Keynote Speaker https://erikamagyarosi.com/en Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:12:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://erikamagyarosi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/cropped-Impetus-20201217-logo-big-32x32.png Moderatorin – Erika Magyarosi Trainer & Coach & Keynote Speaker https://erikamagyarosi.com/en 32 32 Wir können alle Bildungsagenten werden! https://erikamagyarosi.com/en/we-can-all-become-educational-agents https://erikamagyarosi.com/en/we-can-all-become-educational-agents#respond Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:20:08 +0000 https://erikamagyarosi.com/?p=11889
Erika Magyarosi als Moderatorin beim Jubiläum von Talent im Land

As the moderator of the second online discussion round for the 20th TiL anniversary, I had the pleasure of talking with Katja Urbatsch and Lisa Graf about the significance of scholarship programs for students and their impact on educational equity in Germany. The topic “Role model or fig leaf? – Can scholarship programs offset structural challenges to educational equity?” led to a captivating debate.

Lisa Graf, a former high school teacher, is now active as an author, consultant, and speaker advocating for greater educational equity in Germany. Katja Urbatsch is the founder of Arbeiterkind.de, a platform for students from non-academic families. She leads this non-profit initiative with an impressive network of mentors and volunteers.

We discussed the effects of structural disadvantage on people from non-academic families. In Germany, educational paths are still strongly determined by social background. Lisa Graf emphasized the difference between individual and structural problems: while individuals can overcome personal challenges, they cannot solve structural inequalities on their own.

Lisa Graf shared her experiences as a former teacher and how structural injustice shows up in everyday school life. In the German education system, family involvement is considered a decisive factor for educational success. This creates financial barriers and limits cultural participation, especially for students from working-class families.

We cautioned against viewing upward mobility as purely positive and stressed the importance of the term “Aufsteigerin”. It is crucial not to undervalue vocational training compared to academic degrees. We should also not overlook those who, despite potential, fail within the education system.

Can scholarship programs like TiL and initiatives such as Arbeiterkind.de reduce the pressure for systemic change? As long as educational inequality persists, we must continue to support as many students as possible. Former scholarship recipients often become mentors and multipliers, driving change or launching their own initiatives.

A fairer education for all students in Germany requires collective commitment. And everyone can contribute: by helping others and becoming an “education agent.”

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Erika Magyarosi bei der Talent-im-Land-Sommerakademie 2017

TiL in Conversation: Equal Opportunities for All?

I had the privilege of moderating the opening event of the discussion series for Talent im Land’s 20th anniversary year. On May 10, about 35 attentive listeners gathered to take part in a fascinating debate on educational equity. Our distinguished guests were Dr. Ulrike Leikhof and Prof. Gabriele Weigand, who shared their perspectives on the links between social background, migration history, and the development of talent.

Dr. Ulrike Leikhof is Head of Department at Bildung & Begabung, the talent development center of the federal and state governments. She is committed to supporting young people regardless of their background and helping them fully develop their potential. Prof. Gabriele Weigand is a professor at the renowned University of Education in Karlsruhe and coordinator of the nationwide initiative “Leistung macht Schule”, which promotes the advancement of high-achieving students across Germany.

We discussed the strong connection between social background and talent development, which has been proven in numerous studies. Our guests explained this from different perspectives, highlighting factors such as lack of knowledge about the education system, lower self-confidence, and reduced expectations from school staff.

Ulrike Leikhof and Gabriele Weigand emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in attitude toward students. They called for each individual to be viewed and supported personally, regardless of their social “category.” While this cannot yet be fully implemented everywhere, both are already working to promote students independent of their background.

At the end of the event, inspiring contributions and questions from the audience enriched the discussion. We all agreed that scholarship programs such as Talent im Land provide crucial support. We also highlighted the importance of critically reflecting on biases and personal perspectives as key steps toward greater educational equity.

If you missed the discussion or would like to watch it again, you can do so here.

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