iHED – International Higher Education Dialogue

The International Higher Education Dialogue (iHED) by DAAD India fosters international cooperation and dialogue in higher education. iHED connects educational institutions, policymakers, and researchers from Germany and South Asia addressing. Through annual conferences and workshops, iHED facilitates the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and innovative ideas, advancing the internationalisation of higher education. It engages with its existing network and welcomes new participants, offering a platform for exchange.

iHED Workshop 2025

Internationalisation at Indian Higher Education Institutions
Focus: Cooperation Management

10 – 11 April 2025
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
Shalimar, Nishat Harwan Rd, Rainawari, Srinagar, New Theed
Jammu and Kashmir 191202

DAAD ASND

Tailored for representatives, heads and deans of international offices and relations at Indian HEIs, the workshop welcomed participants from a diverse mix of institutions – state universities, IITs, autonomous colleges and private universities across India. The workshop created a dynamic platform for dialogue on Indo-German cooperation.

Through interactive sessions, peer learning and case studies, participants explored key aspects of international cooperation including various funding avenues, cooperation management, good practices, project development and project monitoring equipping participants with tools to set SMART objectives, apply results-based frameworks and monitor project outcomes effectively. The workshop contributed to networking opportunities and meaningful connections among institutions.

Lively discussions and rich knowledge-sharing made the event an impactful experience.

Check out the video here.

 

Programme: iHED Apr 2025
Please reach out to cooperation.newdelhi@daad.de in case of questions.

iHED Conference 2024

10–11 October 2024 | New Delhi

The 2024 edition of the International Higher Education Dialogue (iHED) was held on 10 and 11 October 2024 in New Delhi, bringing together internationalisation stakeholders from across India and Europe. The onsite event was jointly organised by the DAAD Regional Office New Delhi and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

The conference aimed to:

  • Build capacities of international offices at Indian higher education institutions (HEIs)
  • Facilitate knowledge exchange and peer learning
  • Strengthen the Indo-German/European higher education network

Pathways to Internationalisation between Europe and India

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.

iHED Workshop 2024

14–15 October 2024 | Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati

DAAD ASND

For the first time, the DAAD Regional Office in New Delhi organised an iHED Workshop focused specifically on the northeastern and eastern regions of India. The workshop titled “Internationalisation at Indian Higher Education Institutions – Structures and Services” was held on 14 and 15 October 2024 at Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati.

The two-day interactive workshop brought together around 20 participants from 15 higher education institutions across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh. Designed for heads, deans, and representatives of international offices, the workshop created a collaborative platform for knowledge-sharing and peer learning.

Internationalisation at Indian Higher Education Institutions: Structures and Services

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.

iHED Conference 2023

1-3 March, 2023 | Online

The DAAD and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) organised the 3rd edition of the International Higher Education Dialogue (iHED) conference online with Romania (UEFISCDI) as the guest country. It focused on developing and sustaining structured international cooperation and strategic partnerships. The aim was to extend the network of institutions in international cooperation between Asia and Europe.

iHED 2023 served as a platform for stakeholders and higher education institutions from Germany, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to connect, meet and exchange good practices.  The conference was joined by 35 international speakers and more than 300 representatives of more than 150 higher education institutes to discuss models of cooperation, funding, good practice of partnership programs and trends in internationalisation.

Take a look back

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.

iHED Workshop 2023

30 October – 3 November 2023 | Indore and Hyderabad

© DAAD ASND

As part of its International Higher Education Dialogue (iHED) series, the DAAD Regional Office New Delhi organised a multi-city workshop titled “Internationalisation at Indian Higher Education Institutions – Structures and Services” from 30 October to 3 November 2023. The workshops were conducted in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Indore and University of Hyderabad, and targeted representatives, heads, and deans of international offices and international relations from higher education institutions (HEIs) across India.

The initiative aimed to support Indian HEIs in strengthening their internal structures for international cooperation and enabling fruitful Indo-German academic partnerships. In total, each workshop location hosted around 30–35 participants selected from institutions across the country.

Internationalisation at Indian Higher Education Institutions – Structures and Services 

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.

iHED Conference 2022

4 – 6 May 2022 | Online

The International Higher Education Dialogue (iHED) 2022 took place from 4 to 6 May 2022, bringing together higher education stakeholders from Germany, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, with France as the guest country. Organised by the DAAD Regional Office New Delhi in cooperation with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), the three-day virtual conference served as a dynamic platform to strengthen academic cooperation and promote internationalisation across the region.

Take a look back!

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.

iHED Conference 2021

© DAAD ASND

The conference brought together more than 240 institutions, amongst them 42 from Germany, 172 from India, and 34 from the region. The international conference included focused sessions, panel discussions and keynotes. More than 300 dedicated B2B meetings took place on the platform where potential cooperation partners engaged and discussed. More than 500 representatives of universities, research institutes and funding organisations from Germany, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka joined the conference in 2021.

Connecting Germany and South Asia

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.