The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), one of the worldโs largest funding organisations for international academic exchange, has announced the discontinuation of 13 scholarship and university internationalisation programmes due to mounting financial pressures.
The decision, which will result in the cancellation of around 2 500 scholarships annually, comes amid rising costs in Germany and globally, as well as reduced funding from key government sources.
DAAD President Prof Dr Joybrato Mukherjee explained the move in a press release, saying they are facing major financial challenges at the organisation.
โFor example, we are confronted with sharply rising costs in Germany and worldwide, such as personnel, IT, and rental costs. We are also under additional financial pressure due to a point that is in itself a positive development: scholarship rates for foreign students and doctoral candidates who come to Germany have risen by 34 per cent in the last ten years without these increases being offset,โ he said.
The discontinuation of these programmes may have a significant impact on international students and academics, particularly those from developing countries.
Programmes like Leadership for Africa and Future Ukraine have provided critical opportunities for students and researchers from regions facing political and economic challenges.
For Zimbabwean students and academics, the cuts come at a particularly difficult time, as the countryโs NGOs also face reduced funding from other international donors.
The decision reflects broader global trends, as countries like the United States (US) and the Netherlands have also slashed foreign aid and development spending.
The Netherlands recently announced a โฌ2.4 billion cut in development aid abroad, set to take effect in 2027, while the US abruptly suspended foreign aid earlier this year.
These cuts have sent shockwaves through developing countries and organisations reliant on international funding, including Zimbabwean non-governmental organisations that depend on US and Dutch aid.
The DAADโs consolidation programme will discontinue several key initiatives, including scholarship programmes such as the Graduate School Scholarship Programme, research stays for foreign academics, Leadership for Africa, and a specialist literature programme.
Additionally, programmes aimed at promoting the internationalisation of German universities, such as Future Ukraine, STIBET special funding for Ukraine, German-Pakistani research cooperation, and university partnerships with Greece, will also be axed.
Other affected initiatives include funding for German language courses (DaF) to support German universities abroad, the Belarus, Slovakia, and Czech Republic historical commissions programme, and the Alumniportal Deutschland.
Study trips, internships, concert tours for foreign students, and funding for German studies conferences abroad will also no longer be supported.
Prof Mukherjee emphasised that the consolidation was based on a prioritisation of the DAADโs tasks and activities.
โStrategic priority is given to programmes with a wide reach that appeal to a broad international target group,โ he said.
โTherefore, priority will be given to discontinuing programmes that relate to region-specific funding or specialist topics.โ
The DAAD will also reduce staff working on the discontinued programmes, though no compulsory redundancies are planned.
โThe discontinuation of the programmes and the associated staff cuts are unfortunately unavoidable in the current situation,โ Mukherjee added.
The DAADโs decision comes at a time when global funding for education and development is under strain.
The Netherlandsโ new policy to cut โฌ2.4 billion in development aid abroad, set to take effect in 2027, will significantly impact programmes in areas such as gender equality, vocational and higher education, sport, and culture.
Funding for climate action, civil society, and UN organisations will also be reduced.
Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Reinette Klever, was reported saying the cuts reflect a shift in priorities, with a focus on promoting trade, enhancing security, and reducing migration.
โAll the programmes we fund must contribute directly to our own interests,โ Klever said.
Similarly, the DAADโs consolidation reflects a broader trend of tightening budgets and re-evaluating priorities.
Prof Mukherjee said DAADโs funding comes from four main sources: the Federal Foreign Office, the Ministry of Science (BMBF), the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the European Unionโs Erasmus+ programme.
While the Erasmus+ budget has increased by over โฌ20 million for 2025, other funding sources have remained stagnant or declined in real terms due to rising costs.
Despite the challenges, Prof Mukherjee remains optimistic about the future of Germanyโs higher education and science system.
โWith currently 405 000 international students and 75 000 international academics, Germanyโs higher education and science system is one of the most attractive in the world,โ he said.
โThis strength should be expanded in view of the major economic challenges in Germany and the fierce global competition.โ
DAAD is also undergoing a global restructuring process, consolidating its network of offices worldwide.
By 2025, the organisation aims to reduce the number of offices from 71 to 55, including 21 field offices and 34 information centres.
This restructuring is part of a broader effort to reduce costs and align the DAADโs activities with clear strategic priorities.
Prof Mukherjee called on the next German federal government to prioritise foreign science policy and provide stronger support for international academic exchange.
โLooking to the future, we hope that the next federal government to be formed after the early federal elections will also send a strong signal in favour of Germanyโs foreign science policy,โ he said.
