Strategy 2025

Supporting potentials, strengthening networks, sharing expertise

These are the DAAD’s central fields of activity, dedicated to shaping international academic relations and foreign academic policy in the age of the Anthropocene. The DAAD is optimally positioned to carry out these tasks. As the internationalisation agency of German higher education institutions, it continually develops its portfolio together with its member organisations. Thanks to the diversity of its activities and programmes, it can systemically and sustainably achieve its goals. Its presence in more than 100 countries worldwide serves as the foundation for these activities.

International higher education and research are integral components of a larger global-political context which also play a key role in shaping their development. These general conditions have undergone enormous transformation in recent years. At the same time, the global landscape of academia, research and innovation has been shaped by dynamic developments and shifting influence around the world.
Against this backdrop, foreign academic policy has become increasingly important. One major challenge is to define and represent the interests of German higher education and research, while also considering the interests of our partner countries and organisations. Engaging in international discourse, the DAAD continues to defend the values, to which the German academic system owes its strength: working in partnership, promoting academic freedom and contributing to finding common solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. This can only be achieved when science, politics and civil society work hand-in-hand.

The “Strategy 2025” defines three overarching goals which shall shape the activities of the DAAD in the coming years:

The aim of international exchange is to enable top-performing individuals to study, teach and research at locations where they can optimally develop their potential. It has always been the case that international experience strengthens academic excellence. In an increasingly interconnected globalised world, international experience is the key to innovative solutions, with which research problems can be viewed from various angles. The global knowledge society needs this wealth of diverse perspectives in order to keep pace with the rapid changes affecting the living conditions of humanity. The goal is to be well-equipped to address the challenges of the future. Germany must do its part to achieve this goal. Consequently, the DAAD is committed to attracting talented individuals to Germany as a place of innovative science and industry, while enabling students, instructors, and researchers in Germany to gain international experience.
An internationally networked research environment is essential to Germany’s performance; it comprises the foundation for knowledge-based participation in political discourse. Political decision-making processes require an increasing degree of scientifically sound advice for responding to the complexity of globally determined relationships. Partnership-based scientific networking serves as a role model in times of increasing nationalistic and lobbyist-driven egoism. It has a positive impact on the respective environment on a local, regional, and national scale. The DAAD supports partnerships between higher education institutions in different countries. These safeguard the continuity of cross-border exchange and spawn synergetic effects by bundling resources. Mutual trust forms the foundation upon which institutional, national, and European interests can be successfully promoted and negotiated among partners.
Global challenges, such as climate change, species extinction, flight and displacement, poverty and epidemics affect us all. It is vitally important, therefore, that globally networked researchers and academics work together to find solutions to these challenges. The research sector in Germany can only assume a relevant role in this process if it can rely on vibrant academic exchange. International academic cooperation serves to mitigate existing inequalities and injustices, advance the development of the Global South, prevent conflicts, and surmount crises. The DAAD is committed to establishing productive structures at higher education institutions in emerging and developing countries. It supports German universities in their efforts to jointly coordinate research projects on global issues. The DAAD also strives to build personal character and promote willingness to assume responsibility for society in a national and international context.

The DAAD has set itself goals in three strategic fields of activity

The first field, “Recognising and supporting potentials worldwide” (Link 4), refers to individual funding measures. Essentially, these activities aim to provide outstanding applicants from Germany and abroad from all academic levels with excellent education and research opportunities, measures for developing their professional profile, and intercultural experience. The second field of activity “Strengthening the strategic academic network” (Link 5) is targeted at higher education institutions in Germany and abroad. To this end, the DAAD is building international partnerships and professional networks, thereby contributing to solving global challenges. The third field of activity, “Providing expertise for international relations” (Link 6) will position the DAAD as a leader in current discourse regarding the internationalisation of higher education and research, as well as an influential agent in the political and societal decision-making process.

DAAD scholarships are the primary instrument for promoting and professionally qualifying young academic talent. They offer outstanding German and international candidates at all academic levels access to excellent education and research opportunities, subject-oriented professional training, and intercultural experience. The DAAD regularly improves its scholarships to be more user-friendly, needs-oriented, and digitally supported, and in so doing, strengthens excellence, diversity, and subject-related exchange. The DAAD works to secure Germany a leading place among the world’s host countries by improving the quality, custom fit, success, and career entry of international students, offering them personalised, transparent, and competence-based paths to Germany.
The DAAD supports higher education institutions to strategically position themselves in a global context and actively promote the international campus. By strengthening international partnerships and professional networking, it contributes to solving global challenges. The DAAD offers programmes, advanced training courses and advisory services to help universities make the most of their international potential. It continually develops its portfolio to adapt to the needs of higher education institutions and society. It makes use of the opportunities that digitalisation offers in order to increase the efficacy and sustainability of global cooperation. In the future, the DAAD shall anchor digitalisation as an integral component in its funding programmes.
The DAAD possesses extensive knowledge of the higher education systems and science policy developments around the globe. The DAAD shares its knowledge and expertise with higher education institutions and partner organisations worldwide in the form of publications, databases, continuing education measures and advice services. The DAAD actively participates in discourse on the internationalisation of higher education and science. It strongly advocates German as a language of science and Europe as a vibrant example of multilingualism. The DAAD promotes scientific and academic freedom and all who rely on it, and it stands up for these principles in Germany and abroad through political dialogue and science diplomacy. Its data is used for institutional learning and is made available to universities, policymakers and organisations.

In these three strategic fields of activity, the DAAD aims to strengthen international higher education, increase participation and ensure long-term success. To this end, German universities remain the primary contact partners with whom the DAAD works to achieve their goals and needs. In close partnership with its members, the DAAD strives to ensure that the German higher education system meets the following targets by 2025:

secure Germany’s standing among the top five target destinations for international students and doctoral candidates
increase the academic success of international students to the average rate of success of German students
increase the share of international academics at German universities to 15 percent
enable 50 percent of students at German universities to gain substantial international and intercultural experience through a study visit abroad, virtual international experience or “internationalisation at home”

Challenges and opportunities

The activities of the DAAD are increasingly influenced by trends and issues which lie beyond the sphere of academic exchange. These require the DAAD to further develop its own positions and concepts. It is no longer enough to concentrate on one’s core business and conduct it competently. The important thing is to react to changes taking place in various corners of society and define what the DAAD can specifically do to address them. Some especially relevant key issues include:

Strategy 2025

Supporting potentials, strengthening networks, sharing expertise

The “Strategy 2025” defines three overarching goals which shall shape the activities of the DAAD in the coming years:

The DAAD has set itself goals in three strategic fields of activity

Challenges and opportunities

Address

DAAD Newsletters

Useful Links

Supporting potentials, strengthening networks, sharing expertise

The “Strategy 2025” defines three overarching goals which shall shape the activities of the DAAD in the coming years:

1. Promote excellence and broaden perspectives of education and science through international exchange

2. Enhance international collaboration for the benefit of science, industry and society

3. Assume global responsibility and contribute to development and peace

The DAAD has set itself goals in three strategic fields of activity

1. Promoting and professionally qualifying young academic talent

2. The DAAD supports higher education institutions to strategically position themselves

3. The DAAD possesses extensive knowledge of the higher education systems and science policy developments around the globe.

Challenges and opportunities

Address

DAAD Newsletters

Useful Links