iHED – International Higher Education Dialogue

A special highlight of the conference was a keynote marking 50 years of Indo-German cooperation in science and technology, celebrating five decades of fruitful collaboration and scientific partnership.

Key Highlights:

Panel Discussion on global strategies for the internationalisation of higher education, with speakers from Europe and India.

Speed Workshops led by experts on:

• Structures for internationalisation
• Communication strategies for international student recruitment
• Internationalisation at home

Parallel Sessions featuring participant-led presentations of good practice projects in:

• Student exchange programmes
• Internationalisation at home
• Research cooperation initiatives

The event created a collaborative platform to exchange ideas, showcase successful initiatives, and chart new directions for India–Europe higher education engagement. With the evolving National Education Policy (NEP) in India and increasing global interest in international partnerships, iHED 2024 reaffirmed the importance of structured dialogue and sustained cooperation.

Despite historically limited international connections in the region, the workshop highlighted the strong potential for academic cooperation with Germany. Institutions such as IIM Shillong, Don Bosco University, and IIT Dhanbad showcased growing interest and capacity for structured internationalisation.

The sessions were led by German experts Ms. Juliane Terpe from the University of Applied Sciences Dresden and Ms. Katharina Pingel from the University of Leipzig, who shared best practices from German higher education institutions. Core topics included:

• Establishing and strengthening structural frameworks for internationalisation
• Managing international cooperation contracts and partnerships
• Developing communication strategies for international offices
• Implementing and overseeing international cooperation projects

Through presentations, group work, and brainstorming sessions, participants explored their institutions’ current internationalisation efforts, identified areas for improvement, and developed concrete strategies to enhance global engagement.

The iHED Workshop in Guwahati marked a significant step in DAAD’s ongoing efforts to promote internationalisation in all regions of India and to foster deeper Indo-German academic collaboration.

The highlights were Strategic Partnerships, Double Degree Programs, University Alliances and Funding.

The conference included the following:

1. Fireside chat
   Strategic partnerships – The Way Forward?
2. Sessions
   ERASMUS: Insights in Cooperation Projects between Europe and South Asia
   Double/Dual and Joint Degrees: Good Practice and Challenges
   Impact of Cooperation: Monitoring and Measurement
   Beyond Bilateral Projects: Cooperation in Network and Consortia
3. Panel Discussions
   Opportunities and Barriers in Structured Exchange Programs
   Outlook on International Cooperation in Europe and Asia
4. Speed Presentations
   Funding for Institutional Cooperation
5. Parallel B2B Meetings
   The B2B meetings took place using a specially designed online tool.

The workshops were conducted by two German experts from the international offices of the University of Leipzig and the University of Applied Sciences Dresden, along with representatives from DAAD New Delhi. They provided deep insights into the structural setup, management, and operational tasks of international offices in Germany, sharing best practices applicable to both small and large institutions.

The first day of the workshop focused on the German model of internationalisation, presenting structural and strategic frameworks, services, and tasks of international offices in Germany. This was followed by group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and presentations where Indian participants actively reflected on how these structures might be adapted to the Indian context.

The second day delved into the management of international cooperation projects and showcased existing Indo-German cooperation models. Discussions revolved around strategic implementation, coordination mechanisms, and structures that support long-term collaboration.

The workshop in Hyderabad also featured a special DAAD Alumni Meeting, bringing together DAAD and AvH alumni from the region. This added an additional layer of networking and exchange to the proceedings, enriching the dialogue with real-world experiences and success stories.

The iHED workshops reaffirmed DAAD’s commitment to fostering robust academic linkages and capacity-building for internationalisation across Indian higher education. By facilitating expert-led engagement and peer exchange, the series continues to contribute to building stronger institutional frameworks for global cooperation.

With a strong focus on future trends in international higher education, the conference provided a space for policy dialogue, exchange of best practices, and institutional networking. The overarching themes included student mobility, international cooperation, transnational education, and the increasing relevance of quality, equity and access in international education discourse.

The programme featured:

• Keynote addresses by thought leaders who shared global perspectives on transnational education and the role of higher education in international relations
• Panel discussions with policymakers and academic leaders exploring the evolving policy landscape and its impact on regional and global academic cooperation
• Parallel sessions driven by contributions selected through an open call, offering insights from institutions across Germany, France, and South Asia
• Virtual B2B meetings through a dedicated networking platform, facilitating targeted institutional matchmaking and sparking new collaborative initiatives

Over 300 participants engaged actively in the conference, contributing to a rich dialogue and paving the way for new academic partnerships. The iHED 2022 reaffirmed the shared commitment of participating countries to strengthening international higher education and laid the groundwork for enhanced Indo-German and South Asia–Europe cooperation in the years to come.

Prof. Emanuel Deutschmann, in his keynote “Trends in International Student Mobility: A Long-Term, Global Perspective”, argued that international student mobility has seen tremendous growth and despite this global growth, international student mobility remains highly unequal. His key findings show proximity as the reason for this inequality. Since 1960, students tend to move frequently between short distances upto 5000 kms. He illustrated the most salient trends in the global student mobility network through engaging visualisations and scientific research data.

In his keynote “Democratisation of International Education in India”, Prof. C Raj Kumar talked about the need of global citizenship and global universities to transform societies. He emphasised that instead of a few universities being the ambassadors of internationalisation in India, support must be extended to the other institutions across the region to initiate internationalisation.

The conference had sessions on internationalisation in times of pandemic, the New Education Policy of India (NEP), inbound international student mobility and the role of alumni relations in internationalisation. The call for proposals was published in summers this year and selected speakers presented on the topics.

The conference hosted panelists from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka for a discussion on Internationalisation of Higher Education. During the discussion, the need for more regional cooperation was highlighted.

The conference was concluded with a panel discussion on “The Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions in 2030”. Prof. Joybrato Mukherjee, President – DAAD very accurately summarised what sets the course of international exchange in the future – networks, digitalisation, and sustainable mobility.

DAAD expresses its thanks to the organising partner Association of Indian Universities, the speakers, panelists, experts and audience for making this conference a success.