The DAAD has launched a new programme to fund eight interdisciplinary ‘Global Centres’ to tackle global challenges. Half of these eight centres will conduct research into climate issues and the other half will research and teach on healthcare issues and pandemics.

This programme is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, which will offer ca. EUR 22 million for the establishment of these centres in the Global South countries by 2025. The selected centres will provide interdisciplinary instruction and research and will develop close ties with academia, politics, business, and civil society to ensure that new findings are transferred into practice.

The four climate and environmental centres will work among other things on water security in South and South-East Asia, phasing out the use of coal in Colombia and South Africa, protection of West and East African savannah regions and issues of appropriate land use in the Jordan Valley.

The four healthcare and pandemic preparedness centres in Vietnam, Ghana, Gabon and Cuba/Mexico will focus on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Their objective is to enhance the local capability to prevent and treat diseases and improve crisis preparedness, response and follow-up.

The longer-term objective of the two programmes is to promote the generation, transfer and circulation of knowledge in issues related to human health and the climate and to increase the level of performance and internationalisation of higher education, research and innovation systems. They contribute to achieving the global sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the 2030 agenda, particularly the SDG 3 (health and well-being), SDGs 13 to 15 (climate action, life below water and life on land) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). To reach these goals, these centres will accordingly provide education via the likes of international master´s degree courses, PhD programmes and professional development and will enable international exchange, including within the Global South.

Find more information in the DAAD’s website.