Welcome
Wiss-Nama Newsletter March 2025
News from Indo-German cooperation
Celebration of 100 years of DAAD and 65 years of its presence in India
From March 16-22, over 80 German higher education and research institutions visited India to engage in a series of high-level activities aimed at strengthening the Indo-German partnership in science and education. These events included visits to Indian universities, where 20 heads of leading German universities met with Indian academic institutions in Hyderabad and New Delhi to enhance partnerships and explore new academic collaborations. The inauguration of the German School of Technology at PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore was also held, which is a collaboration project aimed at strengthening India-Germany ties in the technological and engineering sectors. The school is supported by DAAD and will be a hub for future academic innovation. The delegation also participated in the APAIE Conference 2025 that showcased a large delegation of over 70 German universities, exploring new opportunities for academic collaboration and the Indo-German Forum: Research, Innovation and Transfer in New Delhi, which brought together 250 representatives from Indian and German institutions to foster academic and research cooperation. These events also marked the 100th anniversary of DAAD and 65 years of its presence in India. Dr. Philipp Ackermann, the German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, emphasized the strong Indo-German partnership in science and education, highlighting the 50,000 Indian students in Germany as the largest group of foreign students from any country.
Upcoming events and conferences
iHED Workshop: Internationalisation at Indian HEI - Cooperation Management
The DAAD Regional Office New Delhi is organizing an interactive workshop on “Internationalisation at Indian Higher Education Institutions – Cooperation Management” from 10 to 11 April 2025 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir. This workshop is designed for representatives, heads, and deans of international offices/relations at Indian higher education institutions. It will focus on topics such as, structures of internationalisation, implementing cooperation contracts, managing international projects, and special emphasis on fostering collaborations with Germany. The event aims to expand participants’ knowledge on international cooperation, encourage learning from peers, and provide opportunities for networking with other institutions.
Beyond Borders: Financing Neglected Tropical Diseases for Global Health Equity
DWIH New Delhi in cooperation with Hertie School is organising a panel discussion at the Global Health Summit Regional Meeting 2025 in New Delhi on April 25. It will focus on addressing neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which remain a significant challenge despite advancements in global health. Experts from India and Germany will discuss innovative strategies for research, funding, and ensuring equitable access to treatments. The conversation will center on transforming financing mechanisms, research priorities, and diplomatic frameworks to tackle NTDs more effectively. The goal is to strengthen global efforts across the entire spectrum, from basic research to drug development and access. The speakers include Dr. Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan, Dr. Bhupendra Tripathi, and Professor Mujaheed Shaikh (moderator).
Networking event: DWIH Network Day
Office of German Centres of Research and Innovation in cooperation with DWIH New Delhi is organising the DWIH Network Day on June 27 in Cologne, Germany. The event will provide an opportunity to meet the management teams of DWIH offices in India, the USA, Brazil, and Japan. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the research and innovation landscapes of these countries and the activities of these innovation centers. The event will highlight the services offered by DWIHs and explore how institutions can engage with this global network. Interactive sessions will allow for in-depth discussions, enabling participants to explore potential cooperation opportunities for their institutions or researchers. Additionally, the event will facilitate networking with a wide range of representatives from international offices, academia, research, government bodies, and entrepreneurship promotion agencies in Germany.
DAAD Events
Study in Germany Day - Bachelors & Masters in Focus (MSEC)
The DAAD, in cooperation with Meenakshi Sundararajan Engineering College, is organising Study in Germany Day – Bachelors & Masters in Focus. Sessions will be conducted on bachelor and master studies in Germany, career opportunities, visa procedures, experience sharing and importance of the German language & culture. Following the sessions, the students can clarify their queries in the interactive Q&A time.
Chennai: April 3, 2025, 11:30 AM, KRS Auditorium Meenakshi Sundararajan Engineering College, 363, Arcot Road, Kodambakkam, Chennai
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.
April 8, 2025, 3:00 PM, Online
Web Session: Masters 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.
April 15, 2025, 3:00 PM, Online
Online: PhD in Germany & DAAD Funding Possibilities (IIT Madras)
Students will be guided about opportunities of research and DAAD scholarship possibilities – application procedure, documentation, budget etc.
Open for the students of IIT Madras
April 15, 2025, 5:30 PM, Online
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.
April 22, 3:00 PM, Online
Calls for proposals
IGSTC Industrial Fellowships 2025
The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) is inviting applications for availing Industrial Fellowships. This programme is aimed at encouraging PhD students/researchers in S&T with an appreciable track record and aptitude for applied research and technology development. Fellowships are offered at two levels: PhD Industrial Exposure Fellowship (PIEF), for young researchers who have completed one year of PhD course in Science/Engineering from India and are below 28 yrs of age are eligible. The duration of the Fellowship is up to six months. Post-Doctoral Industrial Fellowship (PDIF) for fresh PhDs in Science/Engineering from Indian institutes/universities below 35 yrs of age and within 2 years of completion of PhDs are eligible. The duration of this fellowship is 12 months. Applicants would need to identify the industry/industrial research organisation in Germany and have to submit consent letters from the host industry in Germany and their mentor from India.
Application deadline: March 31, 2025
IGSTC WISER Programme 2025
The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) is inviting applications from women scientists for the programme ‘Women Involvement in Science and Engineering Research – WISER’. This scheme for lateral entry 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.
Application deadline: March 31, 2025
IGSTC paired fellowship for early career researchers
The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) has launched the PECFAR (Paired Early Career Fellowship in Applied Research) programme that supports a pair of early career researchers to have a short visit to India/Germany for networking and exploring new avenues for collaboration in applied research. 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.
Application deadline: March 31, 2025
Doctoral positions at International Max Planck Research School ‘Chemical Communication in Ecological Systems’
The 2025 call for applications for the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) “Chemical Communication in Ecological Systems” in Jena, Germany is now open. The school is inviting internationally trained, motivated applicants with a desire to pursue a PhD. Candidates should have an MSc degree (including thesis) with excellent academic performance in fields such as bioinformatics, analytical chemistry, entomology, neurobiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, plant physiology, genetics, ecology, or evolution, and proficiency in English. The School offers highly integrative projects requiring collaboration across disciplines, access to state-of-the-art equipment, a vibrant research environment, and a structured training program.
Application deadline: April 23, 2025
Senior Researcher Positions in Political Economy and Economic Sociology
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies is currently inviting applications for senior researcher positions in the fields of political economy and economic sociology. Research Area led by Lucio Baccaro (Comparative and International Political Economy) is seeking candidates working at the intersection of comparative and international political economy. Applicants should hold a PhD in political science, economics, sociology, economic geography, or a related discipline. Research Area led by Jens Beckert (Economic Sociology) is looking for a senior researcher with an in-depth knowledge of economic sociology. Candidates should hold a PhD in sociology or a related discipline.
Application Deadline: April 3, 2025
Call for Papers/Presentations: Alumni for SDG (Web Talk Series 2025)
The DAAD New Delhi, in collaboration with DAAD Jakarta, is launching a new round of the “Alumni for SDG” web talk series for 2025. This series will focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with presentations from DAAD and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Alumni from South and Southeast Asia. The event will feature three web talks on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well Being) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) covering the following topics: On June 11, health, mental health, environment, and climate change will be discussed, on June 12, the role of precision one health in disease prevention and management and on June 13 personalized medicine, genomics & big data analysis will be discussed.
Application deadline: April 15, 2025
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: July 1, 2025
Max Planck Postdoc Program
The Max Planck Postdoc Program offers early career researchers a range of benefits to help advance their scientific careers. These include, a guaranteed contract of at least three years, a targeted mentoring program with mentors from other institutes or industry, a career workshop within two years to explore options in science, industry, or entrepreneurship, access to career development and coaching from the Planck Academy and high-quality mentoring and supervision guidelines. The program introduces a new recruitment procedure with positions advertised collectively twice a year for six weeks, aligning with international standards and the typical timing of postdocs completing their degrees.
Application deadline: September 1, 2025
Indo-German Funding Opportunity for Joint Research Projects in the field of Social Science Research
In pursuance of the MoU signed between the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) Germany, proposals for joint Indo-German academic research projects in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities are invited. Proposals submitted by teams of principal investigators with some initial cooperation experiences are welcome. The objective of this programme is to promote and strengthen the research cooperation in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities between the two countries, by providing funding to allow joint research activities for internationally excellent research in relevant areas of mutual interest and benefit. This is a co-funding mechanism for the support of joint research projects between ICSSR and DFG. Applicants must be permanently employed in a research or academic position in a recognized research or academic institution – either publicly funded university/college, deemed universities recognized by the UGC or a publicly funded research institute or ICSSR research institutes/recognized institutes. They must also hold a PhD or equivalent qualification and have an interest in high quality research which may be evident by past studies, publications and academic background.
The collaboration opportunity will be open throughout the year with no deadline.
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.
Institute of the month
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
The Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology was founded in 1996 and started in 1997 and focuses on chemical communication between organisms like plants, insects, and microbes. Located at Beutenberg Campus, it consists of 5 departments, 7 research groups, and central services for NMR, mass spectrometry, statistical analyses, and microscopy. The institute employs around 350 people from more than 25 countries, including guests and students. Its key departments include, Biochemistry, Evolutionary Neuroethology, Insect Symbiosis and Natural Product Biosynthesis. The institute also emphasizes supporting young scientists through research group leadership and offers a graduate program, the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS), to train future researchers in chemical ecology.
Great women in science
Cornelia Lüdecke
Cornelia Lüdecke is a retired professor of the history of natural sciences with a focus on meteorology and German polar research, on which she has published 20 monographs and over 180 scientific articles. Since 2004, she has headed the History of Antarctic Research expert group in the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR). She is a corresponding member of the International Academy of Sciences in Paris and has been awarded the Reinhard Süring Medal and the Paulus Prize of the German Meteorological Society.
Did you know?
In total, there are approximately 21,600 different degree programmes on offer at higher education institutions throughout Germany. There are essentially two university-level academic qualifications, a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree. In addition, there are some subject areas in which courses lead to state-certified exams, for example, medicine, law and the training of teachers. Finally, there are still some remaining degree programmes that lead to a “Diplom” qualification.