The motto of the DAAD is “Change by Exchange” – a concept that applies to more than the students and researchers we support. For the DAAD as a funding organisation, change means welcoming the challenges of this dynamic process and participating in shaping it.

Change by exchange...

… is the motto of the DAAD. Exchange promotes understanding between countries and individuals and helps secure the peace. New scientific findings enable us to meet global challenges. Cooperation contributes to political and social progress.

We are

• The independent organisation of German higher education institutions and their student bodies, devoted to internationalising the academic system
• An experienced intermediary between university systems and a worldwide network of external partners
• A German institution in Europe, which contributes to shaping the European Higher Education Area and the European Research Area and promotes European interests throughout the world
• A professional organisation continually aiming to improve its work, living on the professionalism and international expertise of its employees and committed to looking after their interests

We promote academic exchange through

• Scholarships for the Best – supporting students and researchers in Germany and abroad who have demonstrated outstanding academic merit and wish to assume responsibility
• Structures for Internationalisation – creating university structures which promote international qualification, mobility and dialogue, and thereby improve the quality of research and instruction
• Expertise for Academic Collaborations – making our expertise in educational cultures and academic systems available in order to facilitate collaboration between academics and institutions

We want to

• Educate future leaders, who are connected internationally and act in a globally responsible manner
• Provide access to the best study and research opportunities available, thereby strengthening the quality and competitiveness of the universities
• Meet the challenges of the future through the vibrant exchange between academic systems
• Help developing countries establish effective university systems which, in turn, promote social, economic and political development
• Bridge divides and lines of conflict and encourage open dialogue between cultures
• Stimulate interest in Germany, its culture and language and preserve language diversity in research and academia

Change by exchange …

… is our contribution to shaping a global society that finds solutions to the pressing issues of tomorrow.

The DAAD stimulates internationalisation and global responsibility. It acts as an independent intermediary between various partners and their interests. The real motors of change, however, are students and researchers who cross borders every day through their work, and the institutions of higher education which support them in their commitment.

We owe our success to all of those, who share our goals and actively support us in our efforts.