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Cooperation Programmes and Funding – South Asia

This page introduces you to various funding schemes for the South Asian region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka) that the DAAD offers or is involved in, of course in the sphere of higher education and research. You will also get to know about various DAAD activities to connect universities and some good practice examples.

Highlights

German Indian Academic Network for Tomorrow (SPARC – GIANT) 2025-2026

Under the Scheme for Promotion of Academic & Research Collaboration

The DAAD invites 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. The programme 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
  • Advanced Manufacturing & Industry 4.0

Target Applicants:

In Germany: All government recognised institutions of higher education

In India: All Indian institutions ranked in the overall top 100 or category-wise top 100 in NIRF ranking, all central universities and institutes of national importance

Application:

The German side needs to submit their application via the DAAD portal (www.mydaad.de)

The Indian side needs to submit the application to the SPARC portal coordinated by IIT Kharagpur (Details and announcement)

Application deadline: 11 February 2025

The funding period begins on 1 April 2025 at the earliest and ends on 31 March 2026 at the latest

Details (in German): https://www.daad.de/de/infos-services-fuer-hochschulen/programme-der-projektfoerderung/detail/giant/?pfp-id=57773843

Connections to Collaboration - Reflections on Indo-German Exchange Programmes

This high-level panel brings together leaders from academia who have benefited from DAAD funding to reflect on the impact of Indo-German exchange programmes.

The panel discussion will explore how these programmes have fostered long-lasting partnerships, contributed to the internationalisation of higher education, and strengthened bilateral ties between India and Germany. Panelists will share their experiences, and discuss future opportunities for collaboration, focusing on the evolving landscape of academic mobility, research cooperation, and institutional partnerships. The panel discussion is part of the Golden Jubilee of Indo-German Science and Technology Cooperation and will be opened by the president of the DAAD, Prof. Dr. Mukherjee.

The panelists are
• Prof.Dr. K Pant, Director, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
• Prof.Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore
• Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director, CSIR – Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru
• Prof.Dr-Ing. Jyotirmay Mathur, Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) Jaipur
• Prof.Dr. Sannasiraj S A, Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras
• Prof.Dr. Jolly Xavier, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
• Prof. Dr. Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani

Moderation: Dr. Katja Lasch, Director Regional Office New Delhi

Delegation to Germany on 'Higher Education and Research Management', Sep 2024

Aiming to deepen institutional cooperation in higher education and research, a delegation from India visited Germany from 8 to 14 September 2024, commemorating 50 years of science and technology cooperation between the two nations.

The DAAD New Delhi organised this delegation trip. The delegates were representatives from various Indian ministries, funding agencies, and policy advising institutions. The visit aimed to strengthen institutional contacts and foster collaboration in higher education and research between India and Germany, marking 50 years of Science and Technology cooperation between the two nations.

The visit focused on higher education and research management, addressing funding strategies, support structures for researchers, internationalisation of teaching and research, and collaborative efforts within consortia. Two workshops and networking events were organised in collaboration with DWIH New Delhi, providing a platform to present the Indian higher education and research system and facilitate engagement with German counterparts.

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Funding Schemes

Long-term Lectureships for German Emeritus Professors at Indian Universities

Johann Gottfried Herder-Programm

In this programme retired German university lecturers from all disciplines are invited to long-term teaching at Indian universities.

Read more: static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/im-ausland-studieren-forschen-lehren/jgh__kurzbeschreibung_eng.pdf

Fact Finding Missions

It aims to support and initiate collaboration and long-term contractual partnerships with partners in developing countries at the department or university level in all subject fields. It sponsors preparatory visits by delegations of experts from German higher education institutions.

Read more at daad.de

German-Indian Higher Education Co-operations

Deutsch-Indische Hochschulkooperationen

It focusses on conducting of joint application-oriented research and teaching in Germany and India to develop innovative and sustainable forms of co-operation.

Read more at daad.de

Internationalisation of German Universities of Applied Sciences

UAS.International

It promotes international competitiveness of Universities of Applied Sciences by focusing on on preparing and qualifying students as professionals for the globalised labour market and for German industry and their business partners.

Read more at daad.de

German-Indian Higher Education Co-operations

(Internationalisierung der Lehramtsausbildung)

It strengthens internationalization of teacher education at German universities by developing and establishing internationalized teaching degree programmes.

Read more at daad.de

Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation – EXCEED

EXCEED – Hochschulexzellenz in der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit

The aim is to support the development of competence centres and networks by German Higher Education Institutions with multiple partner institutions in developing countries.

Read more at daad.de

SDG Partnerships 2022-2025

SDG-Partnerschaften 2022-2025

It’s a partnership between German higher education institutions and higher education institutions in developing and emerging countries giving rise to a sustainable promotion of structures at partner institutions in teaching, research, and research management.

Read more at daad.de

Internationalisation of German Universities of Applied Sciences

ISAP – Internationale Studien- und Ausbildungspartnerschaften

It contributes towards towards the internationalisation of the participating universities by means of institutional cooperative structures, e.g. through the agreement of credit transfer rules, joint curriculum development.

Read more at daad.de

Long-term Lectureships for German Emeritus Professors at Indian Universities

Johann Gottfried Herder-Programm

In this programme retired German university lecturers from all disciplines are invited to long-term teaching at Indian universities.

Read more: static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/im-ausland-studieren-forschen-lehren/jgh__kurzbeschreibung_eng.pdf

German-Indian Higher Education Co-operations

Deutsch-Indische Hochschulkooperationen

It focusses on conducting of joint application-oriented research and teaching in Germany and India to develop innovative and sustainable forms of co-operation.

Read more at daad.de

Internationalisation of German Universities of Applied Sciences

UAS.International

It promotes international competitiveness of Universities of Applied Sciences by focusing on on preparing and qualifying students as professionals for the globalised labour market and for German industry and their business partners.

Read more at daad.de

Indo-German co-funded schemes

These are schemes for academic/research cooperation projects where DAAD cooperates with organisations from South Asia.

Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation – EXCEED

EXCEED – Hochschulexzellenz in der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit

The aim is to support the development of competence centres and networks by German Higher Education Institutions with multiple partner institutions in developing countries.

Read more at daad.de

SDG Partnerships 2022-2025

SDG-Partnerschaften 2022-2025

It’s a partnership between German higher education institutions and higher education institutions in developing and emerging countries giving rise to a sustainable promotion of structures at partner institutions in teaching, research, and research management.

Read more at daad.de

Long-term Lectureships for German Emeritus Professors at Indian Universities

Johann Gottfried Herder-Programm

In this programme retired German university lecturers from all disciplines are invited to long-term teaching at Indian universities.

Read more: static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/im-ausland-studieren-forschen-lehren/jgh__kurzbeschreibung_eng.pdf

Testimonials

“Germany is a country that puts special emphasis on sustainable development. IGCS is an Indo-German Knowledge Hub providing a platform for conducting interdisciplinary research. With a vast network of researchers IGCS aims to provide solutions for global challenges. It also conducts Summer and Winter Schools in both countries to share knowledge and educate students about sustainability topics.”
Prof. S.A. Sannasiraj, Indian Area Coordinator, IGCS

“My 6 months stay as a doctoral student at the SPPU in Pune was incredibly enriching. The knowledge I gained at the Department of Pali and Buddhism has promoted my academic career. I was also able to gain valuable insights into Indian culture and way of life. I am very grateful.”
Aspasia Werner, PhD Scholar, University of Göttingen

iHED - International Higher Education Dialogue

The DAAD organises various events and workshops to support internationalisation of higher education. These offer platforms for academic and research institutions in South Asia and Germany to connect and deliberate upon various topics such as mobility, structures of degrees, possibilities and scope for cooperation etc.

Take a look at look at the recently concluded and upcoming events.

Guidelines for Dual/Double & Joint Degree Programmes

Internationalisation of higher education is on the agenda of countries and universities worldwide. Germany and India have been highlighting internationalisation as a key factor in their current policies and strategies to develop their higher education and research systems. This page gives a sneak peek of the online publication Indo German Higher Education Cooperation– Guidelines for Student Exchange, Dual/Double and Joint Degree Programmes that the DAAD has brought  out.