Funding for Institutional Cooperation
For this purpose, DAAD offers various instruments and program lines with which partnerships and cooperation projects can be funded.
Cooperation with German higher education institutions
There are multiple examples of successful academic cooperation between foreign universities and German higher education institutions (HEI) involving the exchange of students and/or professors, as well as joint academic projects. Nevertheless, there is an even greater potential for establishing new collaboration in diverse fields of science.
German universities: Strong partners for cooperation
Germany is one of the most attractive study destinations in the world. German HEIs are renowned in areas of university cooperation, particularly as concerns potential for innovation, secular tradition, engagement with international cooperation and a focus on internationalization.
There are three kinds of HEIs in Germany; Universities, Applied Science Universities focusing on applied research (Fachhochschulen) and Art and Music Academies (Kunst- und Musikhochschulen). Most HEIs are funded through public financing, and thus are subject to State-run quality control systems. More information available at the Higher Education Compass portal.
Advice on how to establish cooperation with German higher education institutions
Please find more information below:
The Fact Finding Missions programme helps German university lecturers to meet potential cooperation partners in DAC countries. The aim is to use preparatory visits to set up long-term collaboration.
Target group: Employees of German universities and employees of universities in the target countries.
Applications are made by state and state-recognised German universities.
Benefits:
- Expenses for travel in accordance with BRKG/LRKG.
- Expenses for accommodation and meals for employees of the funding recipient at the foreign university.
- Miscellaneous expenses associated with the travel, i.e. visa fees, vaccinations, health insurance (max. 30 Euros per person)
More information available here.
The DAAD uses funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to support higher education partnerships (HEIs) in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-relevant subject areas that contribute to sustainable development in line with the SDGs and to the development of high-performance and globally minded HEIs in the partner countries and in Germany.
Target group: German universities with at least one partner university in a DAC country.
Benefits:
- Travel and short stays by German and foreign university teachers, researchers, students, graduates, doctoral candidates, university staff and alumni.
- Teaching, research and further education and training
- Organization of events (workshops and conferences)
- Measures for the development of (digital) teaching and learning materials, including the corresponding technical infrastructure and procurement of teaching/learning materials
- Creation of materials for target group-oriented public relations work
- Field trips
- Measures for the sustainable establishment of networks (e.g. founding of associations or federations, establishment of joint study programmes etc.
More information here.
In order to meet the growing need for advisory and consultancy services in developing countries, the University Advisory Programme hires German academics and research managers as consultants.
Target group: Researchers and German professors
Objectives:
- Improvement of administrative processes at the partner university
- Initiation of cooperation with industry and the public sector in order to enhance service capabilities and networking
- Linking of projects at partner universities with German development cooperation
- Development of centres for knowledge and technology transfer at the partner universities
- Conceptual advice on the organisation of research projects, especially with respect to determining lines of research, research funding, research application and international networking
More information here.
Support for practice-oriented degree programmes relevant to the labour market that are cutting-edge and suit the local context.
The programme of “Universitiy-Business Partnership Programme” is intended to promote in particular transfer of knowledge between higher education institutions and the industry in order to contribute to the interlinking of institutions of higher education and the industry and to expand the dialogue.
In the context of the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition”, the Programme shall contribute to the strengthening of the work-based approach to higher education in the following countries and thematic areas relevant to the Special Initiative:
- Egypt: Industry 4.0, Agribusiness, Renewable Energies, Logistics, Engineering, Sustainable Urban Development, Water Management
- Ethiopia: Agribusiness, Renewable Energies, Food Processing Industry, Logistics, Engineering, Textile Industry, Water Management
- Ivory Coast: Biotechnology, Information and communication technology/ technology (incl. renewable energies and energy efficiency), Logistics, Engineering, Water Management, Agricultural Sciences
- Ghana: Agribusiness/Food Processing Industry, Waste Sector, Automotive Industry, Renewable Energies, Logistics, Engineering, Water management, Governance/Law
- Morocco: Automotive Industry, Agro-food Industry, Renewable Energies, Logistics, Engineering, Water Management, Information and Communication Technology
- Rwanda: Economics, Renewable Energies, Logistics, Engineering, Water Management, Information and Communication Technology, Creative Industry/Film, Sustainable Urban Development, Mobility Concepts (incl. Electromobility), Economics/Statistics, Tourism
- Senegal: Agribusiness/Food Processing Industry, Information and communication technology/ digital economy, Renewable Energies, Logistics, Engineering, Water Management
- Tunisia: Automotive Industry, Digital Economy, Renewable Energies, Logistics, Aviation, Engineering, Water Management, Textile, Tourism
More information here.
African Excellence supports African universities to establish centres of excellence, improve the quality of the education they provide, and increase their research capacities, thus enabling future decision-makers in Africa to be trained in line with international standards.
Target group: German and foreign universities.
Objectives:
In terms of long-term impacts, the programme contributes to:
- qualifying individuals for key positions and enabling them to act as multipliers,
- transferring up-to-date research findings into policy, business, and civil society,
- ensuring the sustainable and competitive operation of the Centres of Excellence, while strengthening human and structural research capacities at the participating universities,
- promoting the implementation of the German government’s Africa policy guidelines and the 2030 Agenda.
To achieve these goals, the Centres of Excellence can draw on a wide portfolio of eligible funding measures – ranging from collaborative efforts to improve (digital) teaching, training, and qualification programmes to the provision of scholarships, the organisation of events, initiatives to enhance research infrastructure, and the promotion of international mobility for study, research, and teaching visits.
More information here.
Supports cooperative partnerships between African partners and German universities, non-university research institutes and companies.
Target group: German universities and research institutes.
Funding for: Trips and stays of German scientists as well as short stays of graduates and doctoral candidates in the framework of their postgradual training.
More information here.
