South Asian Affairs
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80 German universities visit India in bid to enhance educational collaboration
Story by Debdutta Chakraborty• 14h•
3 min read
80 German universities visit India in bid to enhance educational collaboration
New Delhi: India is hosting more than 80 German universities and research institutions, in a significant step towards enhancing academic and research partnerships, according to a press release by DAAD, the German academic exchange service.
Key events include high-level visits to Indian universities, the inauguration of the German School of Technology at PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore, the APAIE Conference 2025, and the Indo-German Forum on Research, Innovation, and Transfer in New Delhi. The celebrations also mark the DAAD’s 65th anniversary in India and its 100-year commitment to fostering international academic collaboration.
“The Indo-German partnership in science and education is one of the building blocks of our bilateral ties. It is a pleasure to see this exchange grow so dynamically, from year to year,” German Ambassador to India and Bhutan Dr. Philipp Ackermann was quoted saying in the press release.
Ackermann further said that almost 50,000 Indian students are pursuing education in Germany— the largest group of foreign students from any country.
Key events and initiatives
The Higher Education Policy Information visit, which began on 16 March and will continue till the 22nd, will bring together 20 heads of leading German universities and academic representatives in Hyderabad and New Delhi. This visit aims to foster new academic collaborations and strengthen institutional partnerships.Simultaneously, representatives from German Universities of Applied Sciences will gather in Coimbatore for the inauguration of the German School of Technology.
This milestone is set to strengthen India-Germany academic ties, especially in technological education.
Moreover, the Indo-German Forum on Research, Innovation, and Transfer, to be held in New Delhi, will bring together 250 representatives from both nations’ higher education and research institutions. The event, organised by DWIH New Delhi, the German Centre for Research and Innovation and the DAAD, aims to deepen academic collaboration and explore new opportunities in education and research.
Dr Katja Lasch, director of DAAD New Delhi, expressed that the growing participation of over 80 German institutions in India reflects a strong commitment to enhancing educational and research partnerships between the two nations.
India-Germany education relations
India and Germany share a long history of cooperation in higher education, research, and technology. Over the years, the Indo-German partnership has expanded significantly, strengthened by high-level diplomatic visits and the growing importance of Track-II diplomacy, which leverages soft power like education and scientific collaboration.The Indo-German educational collaboration began decades ago, with major milestones such as the MoU between UGC and DAAD in 2013 for the Indo-German Program (IGP), aimed at strengthening higher education ties. Since 2015, both countries have invested €3.5 million to fund joint educational initiatives. The 2019 agreement during Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit extended the IGP and launched a joint research programme in Artificial Intelligence.
Key modes of collaboration include joint research projects, personnel exchange programmes, the establishment of Indo-German Max Planck Centers, and mobility programmes. These efforts are designed to facilitate the exchange of students, researchers, and scholars, particularly in science and technology.
India and Germany have worked together on numerous research projects since 2010, including the Indo-German Science and Technology Center (IGSTC). The IGSTC supports industrial research and innovation, co-funded by both governments. Collaborative research in fields like medical biotechnology, environmental science, and agriculture has seen significant outcomes.
India and Germany also collaborate through programmes like the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) and Visiting Advanced Joint Research (VAJRA), which facilitate the exchange of faculty and researchers. The Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) further supports long-term collaborations between Indian and international institutions.
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