‘America is back’ – during his visit to the US, DAAD President Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee pointed out today that following a number of challenging years, this statement by US President Biden was absolutely true for German-American research cooperation.

On the occasion of the festivities celebrating the 50th birthday of the DAAD regional office in New York and after a number of talks with high-ranking officials, such as at the State Department, the DAAD President expressed his delight about the great openness and interest the American partners showed with regard to an increase of academic cooperation with Germany:
 
‘Higher education institutions in Germany and the US have always had a close and good relationship. This has enabled them to overcome the challenges encountered over the past few years. It is therefore all the more gratifying that the new US government led by Joe Biden once again attaches great importance to academic collaboration across the Atlantic. International research cooperation is currently facing massive challenges. These include mastering the COVID-19 pandemic, researching and fighting the climate crisis, limitations to scientific freedom in many countries around the world, and not least students and researchers who are facing great threats in certain countries, most recently in Afghanistan. In this context, it is good to know that we can expect strong political support for shared endeavours over the next few years, also from Washington.’

Strong demand for scholarships
The DAAD observed a significant increase in demand for its scholarship programmes for exchange this year from applicants from Germany and the US. The number of German applicants interested in a scholarship for studying in the US increased by around 150 per cent, while the number of US applicants for one-year research scholarships in Germany increased by 20 per cent. ‘This shows that travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have not reduced interest in and appreciation of study and research stays abroad, but have rather caused an increase,’ said Mukherjee. He continued to point out that the fact that the US resumed granting visas to German students last summer was a major milestone in returning to normality.

The end of restrictions on admission
Still existing travel restrictions for German academics were, however, a burden on academic exchange. ‘We are hoping for new guidelines issued by the US authorities, especially for fully vaccinated individuals,’ said the DAAD President. ‘It is in the interest of the United States, too, if German and European researchers, who comply with all necessary protection measures, are able to travel to the US to cooperate with their colleagues.’

DWIH 2022
During his visit to the US, the DAAD President also spoke about the new German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) in San Francisco that is due to open in 2022. He explained that the objective of the facility was to allow for stronger networking between the dynamic innovation landscape of Silicon Valley and the US West Coast and Germany with its higher education institutions.

Background 
The DAAD has been represented in New York in the United States with a regional office since 1971. The branch office has particular historic significance for the DAAD: establishment of the exchange organisation back in 1925 was marked by the first 13 scholarships granted to students from Heidelberg who attended the New York Institute of International Education (IIE).