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Wiss-Nama Newsletter May 2024
News from Indo-German cooperation
DAAD Scholarship Certificate Handing-Over Ceremonies
DAAD New Delhi organised a scholarship certificate handing over ceremony at the German Embassy New Delhi on May 8 in presence of Georg Enzweiler, Chargé d’Affaires. The DAAD has awarded 287 scholarships for India, out of which the 50 students from Delhi were invited to take part in the event. The scholarships that were awarded are University Summer Courses, WISE – Working Internships in Science and Engineering, EPOS - Development-related Postgraduate Courses, PPGG – Public Policy & Good Governance, GSSP - Graduate School Scholarship Programme, Research Stays, Reinvitation and Bilateral Exchange of Academics. It was an interactive event, where students were also informed about what to expect during their stay in Germany.
Upcoming events and conferences
Indo-German Research Day
DWIH New Delhi is organising the 3rd edition of the Indo-German Research Day on May 28 to explore the Indian and German research landscape further and dive into discourse of international research cooperation and policy. Participants will also discover opportunities for research stays and projects across disciplines. More than 20 research institutions, universities, funding bodies and international agencies are a part of the event. The event will have panel discussions with experts on the impact of AI in academia and institutional funding strategies for research mobility. Interactive sessions with representatives of international agencies and universities to discover funding opportunities will also be a part of this day-long event.
Info Session: Journey of a Researcher from India to Germany – Organic & Inorganic Chemistry
The India offices of Freie Universität Berlin & University of Cologne are organising an online info session, titled Journey of a Researcher from India to Germany, on study and research opportunities in “Organic & Inorganic Chemistry” on May 30. In this session a current scholar or an Alumni, who is/has pursuing/ed their degree program from the two universities, will share their journey from India to Germany. The session aims to provide insight into how to search for study and research opportunities in Germany, funding options and career prospects. The event is open to all Bachelors and Masters students, young researchers and faculty from higher education institutions in India.
Panel Discussion: Cross-Border Mobility
DAAD India along with Max Weber Forum for South Asian Studies and ICAS:MP is organising an online panel discussion on cross-border mobility on July 17. The topic comprises of one of the most important themes for societies, impacting international cooperation, national politics and individual experiences. In this panel discussion, experts from social sciences and humanities will highlight the interdisciplinary outlook on cross-border mobility. They will examine the various mechanisms that intersect with different types of cross-border migration, including Law, Labour, Education as well as individual narratives, within the contexts of India, South Asia, Germany and Europe. It will offer the opportunity to early career researchers to showcase their work.
Web Talk: Role of artificial intelligence in climate adaptation and mitigation
DWIH New Delhi is organising a web talk on the theme ‘Role of artificial intelligence in climate adaptation and mitigation’ on July 18. The expert discussion will highlight the utilisation of artificial intelligence to tackle the challenges of climate change, covering both fundamental research and applications of AI. The speakers from India and Germany, including AI scientists, heads of AI labs, start-up founders, and policymakers, will address the opportunities and challenges of international collaboration for climate mitigation with a focus on open access, data sharing, knowledge transfer, ethics, data governance, and policy issues.
DAAD Events
Web Session: PhD in Germany
Join this web session and find out all that you need to know about doing a PhD in Germany. Get your questions answered too!
May 28, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu
If you are interested in the Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu 2024 and have some questions, join this webinar.
June 3, 1:45 PM, Online
Higher Studies & Research in Germany
The DAAD is visiting Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Chennai for a session on Higher Studies & Research in Germany. Students will be guided about Bachelor, Master & PhD studies – Eligibility criteria, types of universities, application procedures etc.
Chennai: June 5, 2024, 4:00 PM, Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, No 4 Rutland Gate 5th Street, Chennai 600 006
Web Session: Bachelors in Germany
Join this web session and find out all you need to know about doing a Bachelor degree in Germany. Get your questions answered too.
June 7, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Masters in Germany
Join this web session and get to know all that you need to know about doing a Master’s degree in Germany. Get your questions answered too!
June 12, 3:00 PM, Online
Alumni for SDG Web Talk Series 2024: SDG 11 Waste and Flood Management for Sustainable Cities
In this web talk, different methods for sustainable waste management which aim at reducing waste production and enhancing waste conversion through legal instruments and scientific advancements are addressed. Proactive approaches to flood management that prevent urban flood disasters effectively and sustainably will be discussed.
June 12, 2024, 3:30 PM, Online
Online Session with German Universities
Learn more about study opportunities in Germany and interact with representatives of TU Dresden and TH OWL.
June 20, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: My Student Journey - Abeni & Simran tell their Story
Listen to and connect with Abeni, currently a Master student at RPTU (TU Kaiserslautern/ Uni Koblenz-Landau) in Ecology and Simran, a working professional at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). Know all that you need to know about studying in Germany and get answers to your questions.
June 21, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: PhD in Germany
Join this web session and find out all that you need to know about doing a PhD in Germany. Get your questions answered too!
June 25, 3:00 PM, Online
Calls for proposals
Max Planck-India Mobility Grant (MPIMG)
Max Planck India Mobility Grants are a distinction awarded to highly qualified Indian scientists who should be in their final year of doctorate or have obtained their doctorate no longer than ten years ago. MPIMG are awarded for three years enabling the candidates to initiate and pursue research links to a Max Planck Institute of their choice. Candidates have the right to visit a Max Planck Institute (MPI) for a minimum of one month per year. Former Max Planck Partner Group Heads and former Max Planck India Mobility Grant Holders are not eligible to apply for this grant.
Applications are on a rolling basis throughout the year.
MSCA Postdoctoral scholarships 2024
The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships aim to improve the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD. They will help researchers acquire new skills, develop their careers, and gain international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral experience by working in another country. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships aims at supporting the international mobility of researchers within (European Fellowships) and beyond Europe (Global Fellowships). Researchers based in India willing to move to Europe for their fellowship can apply for a European Fellowship. Researchers based in Europe can apply for a Global Fellowship to carry out research of up to 2 years in a third country, in this case India, and return to Europe for 1 year. Individual researchers can submit proposals for funding written in liaison with their planned host organisation in Europe. The host can be a university, a research institution or facility, a company, small or medium-sized enterprise, a government, public institution, or body, a museum, hospital, or NGO or any other organisation.
Application deadline: September 11, 2024
IGSTC launches WISER programme 2024
The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) launched Women Involvement in Science and Engineering Research – WISER programme for the year 2024. This scheme allows women researchers in India and Germany to participate and collaborate in an ongoing research project in the other country without applying for fresh project grant in partnering countries. With this low-threshold offer for female scientists, WISER intends to build scientific capacity, retain and promote women researchers in India and Germany. Women researchers holding a regular position in academic/research institutions/industrial research organisations in India or Germany are eligible to apply.
Applications are considered on a rolling basis.
Institute of the month
Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad
Founded in 2016, Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad (IITdh) is one of the third Generation IITs, which were established by the Indian Ministry of Education (MoE). It was started under the mentorship of IIT Bombay. Currently the institute offers BTech, MTech, MS, and PhD programs in different fields of engineering. The institute comprises of 1075 students, with 20% women. Around 20% of them are pursuing Masters and doctoral degrees. The Institute's objective is to achieve global recognition in education and research by fostering a receptive learning environment, creating knowledge, and promoting scientific breakthroughs and innovative technologies. Over the past seven years, IIT dhArwAD has strategically brought on board a faculty with a global exposure, emphasizing on high-quality research and interdisciplinary programs.
Great women in science
Gagandeep Kang
Gagandeep Kang is currently a Professor of Microbiology, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences at the Christian Medical College. She is known for her inter-disciplinary research studying the transmission, development and prevention of enteric infections and their sequelae in children in India. She has also built national rotavirus and typhoid surveillance networks, established laboratories to support vaccine trials and conducted phase 1-3 clinical trials of vaccines, a comprehensive approach that has supported two WHO pre-qualified vaccines, made by two Indian companies. At present, she is investigating the complex relationships between infection, gut function and physical and cognitive development, and seeking to build a stronger human immunology research in India. She has been leading the work on enteric diseases, diarrheal infections and disease surveillance at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since 2023. She was also the first Indian woman scientist to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2019.
Did You know?
There are around 420 higher education institutions in Germany. This total includes: About 110 universities including 20 universities of technology, 210 universities of applied sciences including 40 technical universities of applied sciences, More than 50 art and music colleges, and 30 universities of applied administrative sciences.