Education: powering the future

Deutsche Telekom Stiftung is a non-profit foundation established in late 2003 by Deutsche Telekom. With an endowment of € 150 million, it is one of Germany's largest corporate foundations. We are committed to raising the standard of German education in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We address every step in the educational ladder and promote everything from basic education to research excellence. In 2010, we channeled € 5.7 million toward foundation causes and set aside € 3.8 million for previously budgeted projects.

We organize projects into five causes: Early Education, Classes & More, Teacher Training, Talent Development and Innovation. In Early Education, the foundation supports the teaching of STEM subjects in pre-elementary education and helps students transition seamlessly to elementary school. Most projects support pre-elementary teachers in their everyday work. Classes & More encompasses all the foundation’s projects that combine in-school and extracurricular STEM programs. Their goal is to arouse more interest in STEM subjects at elementary and secondary schools.

The focus of Teacher Training is to provide vocational and continuing education for STEM instructors. Deutsche Telekom Stiftung supports selected universities in their efforts to specialize in this field, starting with math teacher training. In Talent Development, the foundation assists highly talented STEM students by, among other things, granting scholarships to budding scientists and young immigrants. Creating Awareness covers programs designed to help fix weaknesses in the educational system and effect positive change. Deutsche Telekom Stiftung's objective is to permanently strengthen Germany's claim to being an educational, research and scientific powerhouse.

The foundation’s Executive Board and management determine its non-profit activities and appropriate its funds. They are advised by a Board of Trustees, which currently consists of 18 people.