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Wiss-Nama NewsletterJanuary 2025
Upcoming events and conferences
DAAD: Meeting with German Universities
A high-profile delegation from Germany, headed by Petra Olschowski, Minister of Science, Research, and Art of Baden-Württemberg and comprising 14 representatives from German Universities of Applied Sciences, will be in Mumbai and Pune from February 6 to 12, 2025. As part of this visit, DAAD will jointly organize a matchmaking event on February 7 in Mumbai with the Ministry of Science and the Consulate General of Germany. Universities from Germany and India will come together to explore collaborative opportunities, expand networks, and establish meaningful academic and research partnerships.
Participation in the event is by invitation only.
Indo-German Forum: Research, Innovation and Transfer - Leadership Roundtables
DWIH New Delhi and DAAD New Delhi are organising an Indo-German Forum on March 20, 2025 that aims to seeks to promote comprehensive dialogue by connecting university partnerships, both applied and fundamental research, as well as innovation and knowledge transfer. It provides a platform to shape Indo-German collaboration, addressing issues in research systems, mobility challenges, cooperation programs, and opportunities for cooperation in technology transfer. This Roundtable event will feature a selective, close-circle discussion format and will ensure dialogue among 60 institutional leaders and decision-makers. Some of the main themes of the event will be: Cross border Research Careers, Sustainable Structured Exchange Programmes, Equitable Research Partnerships, Strengths and Challenges of Research Systems, Pathways for Industry cooperation and Technology Transfer and Social Sciences and Humanities.
Participation in the event is only by invitation.
Indo-German Forum: Research, Innovation and Transfer - Dialogues and Networking Event
Under the Indo-German Forum on March 20, 2025, DWIH New Delhi and DAAD are organising a dialogues and networking evening, which serves as a platform to shape Indo-German cooperation by exploring current trends in internationalization, structural challenges, and future perspectives. The event will focus on international collaboration in research, innovation, and transfer, with an emphasis on institutional connections and science diplomacy. The event will bring together more than 250 stakeholders and representatives from public bodies, funding agencies, policy stakeholders, and universities, with onsite participation from more than 100 German universities. the event will mark 100 years of DAAD in India.
Participation in the event is by invitation only.
Panel Discussion: Beyond Borders: Financing Neglected Tropical Diseases for Global Health Equity
DWIH New Delhi in cooperation with HERTIE School Berlin is organising a panel discussion on the topic ‘Beyond Borders: Financing Neglected Tropical Diseases for Global Health Equity’ on April 25, 2025. This panel unites researchers from India and Germany to explore how funding mechanisms, research priorities, and diplomatic frameworks can be restructured to better tackle neglected tropical diseases. The discussion will focus on evidence-based strategies to enhance global commitments, covering everything from basic research to drug development and ensuring equitable access to treatments. Despite progress in global health, neglected tropical diseases continue to pose a major challenge, necessitating innovative strategies in research, development, and treatment access. The panel discussion is a part of the Global Health Summit Regional Meeting 2025, New Delhi
DAAD Events
Online Session with German Universities
Learn more about study opportunities in Germany and interact with representatives of RWTH International Academy, TU Braunschweig and HS Hof Graduate School
January 22, 3:00 PM, Online
Higher Studies in Germany
Students/researchers will be guided about opportunities in Germany – Eligibility criteria, types of universities, various master courses, types of PhD, scholarships, application procedure, visa procedures etc.
Chennai: January 28, 4:00 PM, Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, No.4, 5th St, Rutland Gate, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600006
Web Session: My Student Journey - Nikita and Vedang tell their Story
Nikita Maria Anatharackal, currently a Master student at Technische Universität Darmstadt in Data and Discourse Studies, and Vedang Deodhar, currently a Master student at Technische Hochschule Nürnberg in Finance and Economics will share their experiences of living and studying in Germany.
January 29, 3:00 PM, Online
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.
February 4, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Master Studies in Germany
Join this web session and find out all you need to know about doing a Master degree in Germany. Get your questions answered too.
February 11, 3:00 PM, Online
Pre-Departure Meet for the Summer Semester 2025
Open for students with admission for summer semester to study at German universities. This event will provide valuable insights, tips, and networking opportunities to ensure a smooth transition to your new academic life in Germany.
Bengaluru: February 13, 3:00 PM, DAAD Information Centre Bangalore, At Indo German Chamber of Commerce, 403 Shah Sultan, 4th Floor, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru
Pre-Departure Meet for the Summer Semester 2025
Open for students, with admission for summer semester to study at German universities. This event will give insights into the German culture, academic expectations, visa processes as well as an opportunity to connect with fellow students and get helpful travel tips.
Chennai: February 13, 2025, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Pre-Departure Meet for the Summer Semester 2025
Open for students with admission for summer semester to study at German universities. This event will provide valuable insights, tips, and networking opportunities to ensure a smooth transition to your new academic life in Germany.
Pune: February 13, 4:00 PM, DAAD Information Center Pune, C/o Indo German Chamber of Commerce, 710 Nucleus Mall, 1 Church Road, Pune 411001
Web Session: PhD in Germany
Join this web session and find out all you need to know about doing a PhD in Germany. Get your questions answered too.
February 18, 3:00 PM, Online
Online Session with German Universities
Learn more about study opportunities in Germany and interact with representatives of Bucerius Law School and University of Saarland
February 19, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Finding a PhD Guide
Open for all interested in pursuing a PhD in Germany. In this session, Team DAAD will show you how you can find a PhD guide.
February 20, 2025, 3:00 PM, Online
Online: My Student Journey - Rabita and Vishal tell their Story
Rabita Shakya, currently a Master student at University of Stuttgart in Integrated Urbanism & Sustainable Design, pursuing second year at Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt and Vishal Gawale, currently a Master student at Hochschule Heilbronn- Software Engineering will share their experiences of living and studying in Germany.
February 26, 3:00 PM, Online
Online Pre-Departure Session
Open for students with admission to a German university for summer semester 2025. This event will provide valuable insights, tips, and networking opportunities to ensure a smooth transition to your new academic life in Germany.
February 27, 3:00 PM, Online
Calls for proposals
German Indian Academic Network for Tomorrow (SPARC - GIANT) 2025-2026
The DAAD is inviting proposals for the German Indian Academic Network for Tomorrow (SPARC – GIANT). This program aims to strengthen and intensify cooperation between German and Indian higher education and research institutions, fostering academic mobility, promoting joint research and deepening academic collaboration. It is funded from the Ministry of Federal Foreign Office (AA), Germany and is co-financed by the Indian Ministry of Education, Government of India under the Scheme for Promotion Academic Research & Collaboration (SPARC) coordinated by IIT Kharagpur. The program is open to all disciplines. Applicants may want to focus on the following areas: Energy, Sustainability and Climate, Smart Cities & Mobility, Semiconductors and New Materials, Healthcare and MedTech, Supercomputing, AI, Quantum Computing and Advanced Manufacturing & Industry 4.0. All German government recognised institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. In India, all institutions ranked in the overall top 100 or category-wise top 100 in NIRF ranking and all central universities and institutes of national importance are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: 31 January 2025
Consolidator Grants: ERC awards €678m in grants to back excellent research across Europe
The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded its 2024 Consolidator Grants to 328 researchers across Europe. These grants, totalling €678 million, aim to support outstanding scientists and scholars as they establish their independent research teams and develop their most promising scientific ideas. The funding is provided through the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. The grants will support scientific projects spanning all disciplines of research from engineering to life sciences to humanities. Researchers of any nationality with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD, a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal can apply. Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or associated countries.
EMBO Lecture Courses in India
European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) funds up to six lecture courses per year in India. The aim of a lecture course is to teach participants, primarily PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. The course should provide participants with background and underlying concepts, thereby making the topic accessible to scientists with diverse scientific background. EMBO Lecture courses may also include practical training. Organizers are encouraged to consider covering scientific writing, job applications, presentation skills or grant application writing.
Application deadline: March 1 and July 1, 2025
Institute of the month
European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO)
European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) is a network of over 2,100 top researchers that promotes excellence in life sciences in Europe and beyond. It supports scientists at all career stages, fosters scientific exchange, and helps create a conducive research environment. EMBO offers training, workshops, and publications to advance research and maintain high standards. It also contributes to science policy by gathering input from the research community. EMBO aids talented researchers through impartial evaluations and provides various programs, including training, scholarships, and research opportunities. Its programs, backed by the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC), focus on life sciences research, from molecules to ecosystems. EMBC, an inter-governmental organization founded in 1969, funds and supports EMBO's activities. The EMBC comprises of 31 Member States. EMBO and EMBC also cooperate with countries and organizations beyond Europe to foster interactions with scientific communities elsewhere. India is a EMBC global partner, where it holds an Associate Member State Agreement and the executing agency in India is Department of Biotechnology.
Great women in science
Cigdem Issever
Cigdem Issever is a lead scientist at DESY, professor at Humboldt University of Berlin, and visiting professor at the University of Oxford. She heads the Particle Physics Group at DESY Zeuthen and the Experimental High Energy Physics Group at Humboldt University. Her research focuses on Dark Matter searches and Higgs property measurements at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), specifically looking for Higgs bosons decaying into b-quark pairs. She also works on improving the understanding of non-collision backgrounds in ATLAS and cosmic-ray induced air showers. Issever is an expert in jet reconstruction and calibration, focusing on identifying Higgs bosons that decay into b-jets using machine learning techniques to improve experimental methods. Her career began with developing a compensation algorithm for the H1 calorimeter at DESY, which is now used in ATLAS for jet energy reconstruction. Issever is also exploring the use of quantum technologies to enhance particle identification and is working on non-collider experiments to investigate physics beyond the Standard Model. Beyond her research, she is passionate about outreach and co-founded the ATLAScraft project, allowing the public to explore CERN and the LHC through the Minecraft game.
Did you know?
6.3 billion euros were spent on AI software, services and related hardware in 2023. The AI market in Germany grew by a third compared to 2022.