DAAD’s 2030 strategy pushes Germany as innovation hub

Germany’s largest organisation for international academic cooperation, DAAD, celebrates its centenary this year and views its 2030 strategy as a pivotal opportunity to position German universities within the framework of “foreign science realpolitik”.

“We are living in an era of profound change, characterised by shifts in the international order and accompanied by major global challenges,” said Joybrato Mukherjee, DAAD president. 

“This state of change is challenging us: we need to think in a science-based and transnational way in order to secure the standing of Germany and its universities in the global academic system.”

We still want to contribute to the personal development of open-minded people and successfully shape global change in line with our motto ‘change through exchange
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Apart from sustaining Germany’s global position in the education sector, Mukherjee believes “working with international partners to find evidence-based solutions to the pressing challenges facing our planet” is also vital. 

According to DAAD, the organisation will be focusing on four key priorities over the next five years, which include strengthening Germany as a location for science, innovation, and business, finding solutions to global challenges, expanding science diplomacy, and promoting democracy and social cohesion. 

Over the years, Germany has emerged as one of the most popular study destinations in the world. 

According to a DAAD snapshot survey collecting responses from 200 German universities, the number of students in the country is expected to reach approximately 405,000 during the 2024/25 winter semester – up from around 380,000 in 2023/24.

The massive rise in international students will also help Germany attract many of them as future specialists and build the country as a location for innovation, in alignment with DAAD’s 2030 strategy. 

A recent DAAD survey revealed that nearly two-thirds (65%) of students pursuing a degree in Germany plan to stay in the country after graduation, with over a third (36%) having already decided to remain.

With increasing geopolitical changes, the organisation has also highlighted the need to provide region-specific advice for German universities for organising international cooperation in challenging contexts. 

While DAAD has placed significant focus on South Asia by increasing scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year and supporting female students in Afghanistan, in Europe, the organization has paused collaborations with Russia and launched “large-scale” support programs for Ukraine amid the ongoing war.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic have shown how quickly the framework and conditions for foreign science policy can change. Our new strategy therefore offers orientation and flexibility to respond to such dynamics,” stated Mukherjee. 

“One hundred years after our foundation, we still want to contribute to the personal development of open-minded people and successfully shape global change in line with our motto ‘change through exchange’.”

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