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Wiss-Nama Newsletter February 2022
News from Indo-German cooperation
DFG and DST launch Indo-German International Research Training Groups
A new landmark in the Indo-German science cooperation: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) invite applications under a new joint funding programme for Indo-German International Research Training Groups (IRTGs). Indian and German universities can now promote systematic scientific cooperation together through joint research programmes with a duration of up to 9 years, including many PhDs and postdoc positions. IRTG can only be established by universities and research institutions entitled to confer doctoral degrees. It should be run by two teams of participating researchers in India and Germany. Researchers in all subject areas covered by DST are eligible to apply. The next deadline is August 1, 2022. Matthias Kiesselbach, Director, DFG India Office, affirms, “After a long, successful and cordial cooperation between DST and DFG, this new programme is the logical next step for us. We know from our experience with the collaboration with other countries that IRTGs not only produce great dissertations and papers – they also strengthen durable international ties. A researcher who has done their PhD within an Indo-German unit will also be a bridge between our two countries.”
IGSTC launches paired fellowship for early career researchers
Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC) has launched a new fellowship: the PECFAR – Paired Early Career Fellowship in Applied Research. This fellowship is tailored for a pair of early career researchers to have a short visit to India/Germany for networking and exploring new avenues for collaboration in S&T. It is an excellent opportunity to start a career in research & innovation in a bilateral setup. A dedicated matchmaking platform has been established for interested researchers. Covered topics include Waste to Wealth and Sustainable Packaging. On the launch of the programme, Dr. Steffen Koch, Head of Economic and Global Affairs at the German Embassy New Delhi said: “IGSTC’s new PECFAR programme will allow young researchers from India and Germany to pursue ambitious joint applied research, through fellowships for short term research stays. With its two-way mechanism, PECFAR embodies the very principles of scientific cooperation between our countries: science-driven, at eye-level, and committed to highest quality research.”
Application deadline: April 15, 2022
Upcoming events and conferences
DWIH conference: Indo-German Research Day
On February 24 DWIH New Delhi is organising its annual “Indo-German Research Day”. The conference will bring together researchers, experts and stakeholders from 25 research institutions from India and Germany to highlight funding opportunities available for joint Indo-German research. Thematic panel discussions with eminent speakers from Indian and German research, administration and policy will include Gender Equality in Research, Funding opportunities for International Research, Science Communication, and Open Access: Policies and Initiatives. A virtual fair section will give participants the opportunity to virtually meet with universities, research institutes, and funding institutes.
DAAD Events
Web Q&A: PhD in Germany
Still have questions on PhD in Germany after attending a DAAD Web Session or reading on the DAAD website? Join this Web Q&A to learn more.
February 22: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Q&A: Bachelors in Germany
Still have questions on Bachelors in Germany after attending a DAAD Web Session or reading on the DAAD website? Join this Web Q&A to learn more.
February 23: 3:00 PM, Online
ReDiscover Germany: Bachelors and Masters in Focus
Learn more about Bachelors and Masters education in Germany.
February 24: 2:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Masters in Germany
Join this web session and interact with Palak and Rumi as they share their experience of doing a Master’s degree in Germany.
March 1: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: PhD in Germany
Join this web session and interact with Deepak as he shares his experience of doing a PhD degree in Germany.
March 1: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Study at University of Hildesheim
March 9: 3:00 PM, Online
Overview: How to find a PhD guide?
March 10: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Q&A: Masters in Germany
Still have questions on Masters in Germany after attending a DAAD Web Session or reading on the DAAD website?
March 15: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Study at SRH Heidelberg
March 16: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Bachelors in Germany
Join this web session and interact with Nikhil as he shares his experience of doing a Bachelors degree in Germany.
March 17: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Q&A: PhD in Germany
Still have questions on PhD in Germany after attending a DAAD Web Session or reading on the DAAD website? Join this Web Q&A to learn more.
March 22: 3:00 PM, Online
Web Q&A: Bachelors in Germany
Still have questions on Bachelors in Germany after attending a DAAD Web Session or reading on the DAAD website? Join this Web Q&A to learn more.
March 23: 3:00 PM, Online
Panel discussion: Masters in Germany
Interactive and informative web session about master studies with students that are currently studying or have recently studied in Germany.
March 24: 3:00 PM, Online
Calls for proposal
PhD and postdoc positions at DFG Research Training Group ‘Digital Platform Ecosystems’
The German Research Foundation (DFG) invites applications for fully-funded PhD and Postdoc positions at its Research Training Group (RTG) ‘Digital Platform Ecosystems’. The RTG is based at the University of Passau and is organized in three interdisciplinary thematic areas, namely, Data exchange in digital platform ecosystems, Innovation, transformation and organization in digital platform ecosystems and Socio-economic and regulatory dimensions of digital platform ecosystems. Students who have completed their Master’s are eligible to apply for PhD position and doctoral degree students may apply for postdoc position.
Application deadline: February 28, 2022
PhD Proposal Writing Workshops for Life Sciences and Physical Sciences
DAAD invites applications for a PhD Proposal Writing Workshop for Life Sciences and Physical Sciences for students pursuing Masters or Mphil, who have also completed the ‘How to apply for a PhD in Germany – online course’ by Research in Germany. DAAD is offering this online workshop in March for aspirants who intend to pursue their doctorate in Germany.
Application deadline: March 3, 2022
Starter Scholarships for doctoral students at Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences
The Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences invites applications for PhD positions by highly qualified graduates from the fields of Sociology, Psychology, Educational Science, Political Science, Labour and Educational Economics, Demography and Statistics. Students with Master’s degree or equivalent are eligible to apply. The school supports scholarship holders through personal mentoring, workshops and support services. The scholarships are available from October 1, 2022 for the duration of one year.
Application deadline: March 15, 2022
Call for PhD positions at Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine and University of Muenster
CiM-IMPRS, a joint graduate program of University of Muenster and Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, invites applications for a PhD program in molecular and cellular life sciences with a strong emphasis on Imaging. Highly qualified and motivated students holding a masters degree in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, computer sciences and physics are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: April 11, 2022
Special Call for Indo-German Bilateral Virtual Workshops
The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) invites proposals for Indo-German virtual thematic workshops for interactions between scientists/researchers from academia and industry. The workshops are to be designed around a specific research topic out of thematic areas relevant to both DST and BMBF. Scientists holding regular positions in public or private non-profit research organisations, institutions of higher education and universities are eligible to submit applications.
Applications are considered on a rolling basis.
Institute of the month
Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi
IIT Mandi, one of 23 IITs, is a premier engineering and technology university established in the year 2009. Nestled in the Sivalik Range of the Himalayas, the main campus has been developed as an eco-friendly and sustainable infrastructure campus. It is home to a buzzing community of students, academicians and staff. IIT Mandi was ranked 31 in the National Institutes Rankings Framework (NIRF) in 2020. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses to excellent students in the fields of Basic Sciences, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Civil Engineering.
IIT Mandi entertains cooperations with various German universities, including Technical University of Munich, RWTH, Aachen, TU Dresden and Leibniz University Hannover. Dr. Tulika Prakash Srivastava, Associate Dean, International Relations, affirms, “IIT Mandi has nurtured a very dynamic network with the TU9 for over a decade. This involves faculty and student mobility in both directions for research collaborations, joint projects, and high-impact publications. As a result of this successful collaboration, IIT Mandi was chosen as the National Coordinator for German institutions participating in the SPARC programme (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration) India. We welcome German students to our campus nearly every semester for semester-exchange, and many of our undergraduate and post-graduate students too are able to avail of DAAD and other schemes to spend a semester in Germany. We look forward to further enhancing our academic collaboration with Germany now that the world is re-opening again.”
Did You Know?
The GRAVI experiment, in which DESY is measuring the gravitational constant, is so sensitive that it has even detected earthquakes in China.
DESY is a particle accelerator in Hamburg, founded in 1959. Researchers use the large-scale facilities at DESY to explore the microcosm in all its variety. The facilities generate the world’s most intense X-ray light, accelerate particles to record energies and open completely new windows onto the universe. India is a substantial financial contributor to the PETRA III extension of DESY, and sends numerous researchers to conduct experiments at DESY facilities.