At their general meeting on 23 June in Bonn, the member universities and student unions of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) warned of the consequences of the planned cuts to higher education cooperation programmes with partners in the Global South. In a resolution, they appeal to members of the Bundestag and the Federal Government to maintain funding for sustainable cooperation between German universities and partners in the Global South.

From the perspective of the universities and student unions, the phasing out of these higher education cooperation programmes would weaken long-standing local partnerships, jeopardise the potential for developing prosperity, and limit the ability to find local and global solutions to current challenges – for example in the areas of climate, water, health, food and energy. This would also undermine the universities’ ability to strengthen local scientific and economic prospects and to tackle the root causes of migration.

Ending the programmes weakens Germany’s influence in the Global South

The phasing out of the BMZ programmes would also impair Germany’s capacity for international action in the fields of science, the economy and the recruitment of skilled workers. Even today, local universities are observing how emerging gaps are being filled by other states, such as China and Russia – with significant consequences for Germany’s influence in the countries of the Global South.

“German universities and student bodies are sending a clear signal today: university cooperation with partners in the Global South is not a dispensable side issue, but a strategic contribution to safeguarding German interests and our country’s capacity to act internationally,” said DAAD President Prof. Dr Joybrato Mukherjee in Bonn. “Over decades, sustainable networks, trust and joint solutions to key issues for the future have been established here. Anyone who allows these structures to fade away now is not only weakening our local partners, but will also, in the medium term, lose access, opportunities to shape developments and influence in many regions of the world.”

DAAD General Assembly

The DAAD General Assembly meets at least once a year in Bonn. It currently comprises 244 higher education institutions and 104 student unions from across Germany.

Background: BMZ university cooperation

According to the current plans of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), almost all DAAD programmes for higher education cooperation with partners in the Global South are to be phased out by 2031. In addition, programmes that have so far been funded through special BMZ initiatives are coming to an end. Last year, the DAAD provided funding of around 25 million euros from BMZ funds for the six programmes affected; around 60 German higher education institutions were involved in these programmes. Over the past five years, the higher education cooperation programmes have reached more than 120,000 people in over 70 countries. Around 450 partner higher education institutions worldwide were involved.

To date, the DAAD has used BMZ funding to support projects run by German universities in partnership with higher education institutions in the Global South on future-oriented topics such as energy supply, water management, health, digitalisation and entrepreneurship. Support is provided in particular for the development of practice-oriented degree programmes, the expansion of joint research, the training of skilled workers, and the improvement of management at universities and research institutions.