Lidl has linked with Oxford University in homage to its roots by supporting German-language students.
It hopes that the new initiative will encourage some of them to take up careers at the discount supermarket group.
Lidl has made a gift to support students that will enable the creation of five annual graduate scholarships and funding towards undergraduates embarking on their year abroad.
It will also help to establish an annual undergraduate competition within the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages which will be known as the Lidl Undergraduate Prize in German Studies.
One scholarship will also be awarded annually to students wishing to pursue a Masters in German Modern Languages.
Lidl will provide financial support to those demonstrating “exceptional academic merit”, but who may be prevented from taking up the course due to financial circumstances.
“As a British supermarket with roots in Germany, we saw this opportunity as a great fit and are incredibly proud to be working with Oxford to support both undergrad and graduate students of German,” said Lidl UK chief executive Christian Härtnagel.
“We very much look forward to working with the University and its students and, as we continue to grow our workforce, hope that a number of them consider a future career here with us at Lidl UK.”
Professor Ian Watson, faculty board chair for the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages and Dr Charlie Louth, chair of the German Sub-Faculty, said: “It is of particular interest to us that Lidl, despite being a global brand, is a company which requires the use of German at management level - a reminder that a thorough understanding of foreign languages and cultures is of practical as well as intellectual benefit.”
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