Enhancing Science Partnerships for Innovation and Sustainable Development

What are the programme's objectives? With this programme, which was sponsored by the BMBF over a period of three years, the DAAD is making it possible for German universities and colleges to make new contacts at African higher education institutions and to strengthen existing contacts and academic/scientific exchange in both directions.

One of its focal points is the sending of German students, graduates and up-and-coming scientists to spend a period of time studying or researching at African universities so that they become more strongly acquainted with African research topics.

"Welcome to Africa" is designed not to replace any existing programmes on offer that support individuals and collaborative arrangements, but rather to supplement them with new, more strongly research-oriented collaborative measures with African partners from all countries in the sub-Saharan region and develop them into a lasting African thematic priority.

The programme's specific goals are:

• to strengthen the competence of Germany's up-and-coming scientists on Africa-related issues

• to encourage the mobility of students, graduates and academics/scientists 

• to establish and expand research collaboration between African and German universities and colleges

• to expand the research, education and training capacity at African higher education institutions.

Flexible scholarship quotas for students, graduates, Ph.D. students, postdocs and scientists, as well as a diversity of instruments such as work placements, excursions, summer schools and/or research visits are provided to help ensure that these goals are realised.

Of the 81 applications received from German higher education and research institutions, 11 were approved. These included, inter alia, six collaborations with universities in South Africa:

• University of Leipzig – Stellenbosch University

• University of Hildesheim – Stellenbosch University, University of Pretoria, University of South Africa 

• University Oldenburg – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 

• University of Rostock – University of Witwatersrand

• Technische Universität München/Humboldt University Berlin – University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of the Free State

• Freie Universität Berlin – University of Cape Town

Click on this link to receive an overview of the projects currently being sponsored: www.daad.de/welcome-to-africa