DAAD Perspectives

Higher education policy statements, expert reports on internationalisation or concept papers are published as DAAD Perspectives. This format replaces the DAAD Position Papers.

India as a Strategic Partner

The present DAAD Perspective highlights the potentials of scientific cooperation with the emerging knowledge and innovation nation India and provides concrete recommendations for German high¬er education institutions. The dynamic development of the Indian higher education and research system creates numerous opportunities for bilateral cooperation – from promoting student mobility and attracting qualified professionals to joint research and innovation projects.

Academic cooperation with China: a realistic approach

The DAAD has published guidelines for academic cooperation with China in a recommendation paper. It favours a realpolitik approach, which also forms the basis of the German government's China strategy.

International students are the skilled professionals of tomorrow

In this position paper, the DAAD identifies three central levers - student recruitment, academic success and integration into the labor market - that need to be addressed in order to attract international graduates even more systematically as talents for the labor market. It presents ten recommendations for joint action by politics, universities and business.

Taking increased responsibility in a globally networked world

With a view to its responsibility as an actor in science diplomacy, the DAAD has presented a position paper with impulses on the topic. In ten points, it proposes an approach to science diplomacy based on international academic realpolitik. It aims at a global community of mutual responsibility in order to meet the global challenges in the 2020s.

Sustainable Mobility

How can we adapt internationalisation of higher education and science to the goals of climate protection? International research and scientific cooperation play a key role in tackling the challenges of climate change. However, global scientific exchange also causes CO2 emissions. The DAAD therefore discusses pathways to sustainable academic mobility.

Sustainability at the DAAD. Dimensions, fields of action and strategic goals

Sustainability has shifted to the fore of public debate and is gaining importance as a framework of orientation for institutions of higher education and their funding providers. The DAAD sees its task as one that should address these developments with concrete programmes and innovative approaches. Therefore, the DAAD has reformulated its policies on sustainability in more concrete terms and defined strategic goals and measures.

Implementing the 2030 Agenda at DAAD

DAAD is actively supporting the Agenda 2030 of the UN and is committed to promoting and consistently developing particularly innovative solutions and sustainable development programmes in the future. The implementation of Agenda 2030 requires joint learning and joint knowledge creation by industrialised and developing countries from the outset. The DAAD therefore submits proposals for the stronger integration of research and teaching in cooperation projects, for professional networking across institutional boundaries and for the introduction of transformational educational work.

Partners in Development Cooperation

German universities contribute to solving today’s biggest development challenges, as this declaration by the DAAD’s executive committee states. The DAAD’s member bodies take further responsibility. Assisted by federal funds, they build international scientific networks to promote quality research and teaching in the global south. German universities and their partners bring their own capacities to the cooperation, making long-term development success possible. The DAAD promotes the strengthening of this partnership approach in the area of higher education and research.

Transnational Education in Germany

In Transnational Education German universities bank on partnership models which allow a balance of interests between all involved partners. Based on existing successful university partnerships, degree courses offered collaborative at universities abroad, joint faculties and entire binational universities have been established in cooperation with university partners in host countries. With regard to the transnational transfer of German study programmes or models, the DAAD prioritises academic responsibility for educational contents.

Code of Conduct for German Higher Education Projects Abroad

German higher education projects abroad constitute an important element of the internationalization of German universities. The success of these projects rests primarily on the involvement of all stakeholders. The code of conduct, formulated on the initiative of the German Rectors‘ Conference and DAAD, in the form of a voluntary commitment lays down a set of qualitative „minimum standards“ for German higher education projects abroad which should be adhered to by the German universities as well as their foreign partners.

DAAD Diversity Agenda

Promoting diversity through exchange has been one of the principles of the DAAD's work since its foundation. We want to devote even more attention to equal opportunities, mutual understanding and inclusion in the future. The DAAD's Diversity Agenda, published in 2022, describes the path towards the planned diversity orientation.