Expert contestants vying for top honors in the German Kitchen Contest Finals
In a remarkable achievement, the local alliance around Regensburg, including the Fachakademie in Pielenhofen, has been shortlisted for the prestigious German-Prize for Early Childhood Education, Care, and Upbringing. This announcement was made by the then Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Lisa Paus, at the award ceremony in 2023.
The alliance, known for its commitment to promoting the healthy development of children (0 to 10 years) in daycare facilities, has once again made it to the finalists' list in 2025, competing against other outstanding examples of high-quality early education.
The Bavarian Minister of State, Tanja Schweiger, emphasized the importance of the quality of early education, praising the alliance for its daily dedication and responsible cooperation between sponsors, municipal actors, and other institutions. She attributed the alliance's success to the skilled workers who are the backbone of the project.
The Fachakademie in Pielenhofen graduated 39 highly trained young professionals this year, many of whom have been instrumental in the alliance's work. The alliance focuses on training to attract skilled workers and to inspire education for sustainable development (ESD).
Practical placements in nature-oriented facilities are part of the training, where students learn to shape ESD topics in a future-oriented way. This approach has earned the alliance a reputation for its innovative and forward-thinking approach to early childhood education.
The alliance is not alone in its quest for the German-Prize. The BinE alliance is also a finalist in the same category in 2025. Both alliances are vying to come in among the top three at the award ceremony in Berlin in November.
The school, along with Waldkindern Regensburg, is also a finalist for the German-Prize, selected from almost 600 applicants nationwide. The German-Prize is a joint initiative of several organizations, including the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, and the German Children and Youth Foundation.
The jury that selects the winners from the finalists in November is known as the "expert jury" associated with the German Kita Prize. The precise special name of the jury is not explicitly stated, but the selection is made by this expert jury during the award ceremony on November 27, 2025, in Berlin.
The award ceremony for the German-Prize is scheduled for November, and all parties involved in the alliances actively contribute, with the needs and ideas of the children and students at the Fachakademie being decisive. The alliance from Pielenhofen is aiming to make history by bringing home the German-Prize this year.
