A scholar dedicated to transcontinental cooperation: Ummu Salma Bava, Professor of European Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. Her diverse academic collaborations began more than 30 years ago when she travelled to Germany on a short-term DAAD scholarship – a formative experience for the recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit and current holder of the European Commission’s Jean Monnet Chair. 

Interview: Christina Pfänder 

Professor Bava, you teach European Studies at JNU in New Delhi. Why is Indo-European cooperation particularly important right now? 

In recent years we’ve seen major geopolitical shifts and growing global power struggles. This raises a key question: how can states work together effectively under these circumstances? Germany and India share 70 years of diplomatic relations and 25 years of strategic partnership – and their cooperation is becoming increasingly relevant in politics, business and security as well as at the level of personal interaction.  

What are the main focus areas of this cooperation? 

Key topics include climate action, a just and green energy transition, digital connectivity, the economy, defence and migration, as well as education, innovation and manufacturing. Europe and India need to take a leading role here and work together to develop solutions to global challenges based on shared visions and ideas. Through my research, I aim to contribute to this transcontinental partnership. As a Mercator Fellow, I’m currently spending three months in Berlin, analysing India–Europe relations together with experts from Germany and other European countries. What we’re seeing is that today’s economic challenges offer opportunities, too: a free trade agreement between India and the EU would benefit both sides. With its highly diverse population – the biggest in the world – and one of the fastest-growing economies, India has enormous potential. The country also deserves more attention from European nations in the area of education, too.  

You’ve held the European Commission’s Jean Monnet Chair since 2017. What areas of research and teaching have you focused on? 

The Jean Monnet Chair is a distinction awarded by the European Commission in recognition of expertise concerning the European Union. I was awarded the chair at my home university for my project “European Union, Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution (EU-SPCR)”, which looked at the EU as a security actor in the context of peace and conflict resolution. Alongside my teaching duties, the role involves organising events, lectures and conferences on the EU’s role in global security – a topic that has gained significant relevance given current geopolitical developments. Beyond teaching, my focus is on research concerning Germany, India and the EU, with particular emphasis on foreign and security policy, global governance, peace and conflict studies, and higher education. 

In 2012 you were awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for your contributions to Indo-German partnership. What is the significance of this award to you personally?  

I never pursued my work with the aim of receiving an award – which is why I value the Federal Cross of Merit all the more. To me, it’s a recognition of my commitment to connecting people, building networks for future generations and strengthening bilateral ties. For example, I supported one of my PhD students – an individual with a disability who had never travelled abroad – to conduct field research in Germany. It was a turning point in his life. Beyond the university, too, I continue to support young people who want to study in Germany. What is more, for over two decades, my faculty has been the only one in India to offer a postgraduate course on Germany’s political system and foreign policy, and I regularly engage with German MPs and policymakers visiting India on matters of Indo-German relations.  

Something I particularly value is the trust that Germany has placed in me – and the responsibility I have with regard to these Indo-German relations. The award is also an incentive to stay engaged both academically and politically. One particular honour was moderating a panel discussion for the German Embassy in New Delhi during Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to the city in 2023. 

You came to Germany on a DAAD scholarship in 1994 to conduct research for your dissertation at Freie Universität Berlin, as well as at the universities of Hamburg, Bonn and Heidelberg. What are the moments that stand out in your memory? 

That stay was incredibly valuable for me. At the time I was writing my doctoral thesis on contemporary German foreign policy – a topic that was extremely hard to research from India, where there was no online access to academic literature. Thanks to the scholarship, I was able to meet experts, collect source material and gain crucial insights into a wide range of political perspectives. What particularly impressed me was experiencing Germany not just from the academic perspective but at the human level, too. People’s kindness and willingness to help truly surprised me in a positive way. I also made lasting friendships – including with Barbara, my oldest friend, who I’ve now known for 31 years. 

How did the DAAD scholarship impact your career in the long term? 

The DAAD scholarship not only provided me with essential support in my research, it also laid the foundations for long-term relationships with institutions, universities and individuals in Germany. It allowed me to expand my expertise on Germany and Europe and build numerous research collaborations. I’ve developed especially close partnerships with Freie Universität Berlin: many of my doctoral students have pursued their research projects there over the past 15 years. Another example is the DAAD’s New Passage to India programme, which gave rise to a ten-year collaboration with the University of Würzburg. These collaborations – along with the Indo-German partnership project I successfully initiated with colleagues – wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the DAAD.  

How do you inspire your students to spend a semester abroad? 

Whether or not someone wants to study abroad is ultimately a personal decision, but it takes careful planning and considerable effort. I start working with my master’s students in their first year to show them what the options are in terms of a stay abroad. I organise regular information sessions in cooperation with the DAAD, advise students on how to navigate the DAAD portal, and help them connect with professors in Germany. For my PhD students, I actively search for scholarships and research grants that allow them to do fieldwork in Europe or Germany and deepen their academic knowledge.