Fact-Finding-Mission: DAAD Lectorates in India 2025
At the behest of the German Federal Foreign Office, a fact-finding mission to explore and evaluate possibilities for expanding the network of lecturers at Indian higher education institutions was organised from 23 – 29 April 2025. The mission was led by a delegation from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Bonn and the team from DAAD Regional Office New Delhi.
To this end, discussions and strategic meetings were held with government officials at University Grants Commission (UGC), German institutions in India (in particular the Goethe-Institut and the German Embassy, New Delhi and the Consulate General, Kolkata) as well as with various HEIs in Delhi, Varanasi and Kolkata. This endeavour marked a significant step forward in identifying possible institutions for establishment of specialist lectureship in German Studies, Social Sciences and Humanities at various universities in India.
The experts engaged in productive dialogues with policymakers and strategic partners, visited universities and institutions like Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, Jadavpur University, Indian Institute of Management and Sister Nivedita University in Kolkata.
This mission has not only laid the foundation for strengthened bilateral ties but also affirmed the mutual interest in fostering Indo-German academic cooperation and scientific exchange in the fields of German Studies, Social Sciences and Humanities.
As part of the mission, DAAD celebrated 65 years of DAAD in India and 100 years of DAAD regionally by organising a networking event for its alumni, recent scholarship awardees and trusted partners in Kolkata. The event was organised together with the German Consulate and the Goethe-Institut, Kolkata on the evening of 28 April 2025. The gathering provided an excellent opportunity for meaningful networking within the region, fostering stronger relationships and opening doors for future collaboration.
