Following an invitation from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), approximately 450 international students will convene at Leibniz University Hannover between 12 and 14 April 2019. DAAD scholarship holders from around 100 countries will discuss various issues guided by the motto "The challenge of progress: legal and ethical constraints in biotechnology". The meeting will be opened by Professor Joybrato Mukherjee (Vice President of the DAAD), Professor Volker Epping (President of LUH), and Yasmin Fahimi (member of the Social Democratic Party and the German Bundestag).
The purpose of the meeting, which takes place five times per year and is held at various universities throughout Germany, is to welcome international scholarship holders and get to know each other. All scholarship holders will be living, studying, and researching in Germany for a minimum of one year. International students from approximately 100 countries will attend the meeting in Hannover. The event includes various presentations and discussions on biotechnology.
"Freedom of research is enshrined in the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, which entered into force 70 years ago. On the occasion of this anniversary, we would like to discuss the prospects, responsibilities, and risks of this freedom with our scholarship holders", says DAAD President Professor Margret Wintermantel. "Freedom of research in Biotechnology is a matter of much debate, especially with regard to ethical and legal requirements. We are eager to discuss these important issues with our scholarship holders and benefit from their international perspective."
"International exchange is essential for researchers, as well as for scientific knowledge", says Professor Joybrato Mukherjee, who will be welcoming the scholarship holders on Friday. "In particular, this applies to research in fields that are highly relevant for society and politics. The DAAD meeting is a great opportunity for talented young scholarship holders to experience the benefits of exchange across cultural and geographic boundaries."
The "Science Flash Talk" on Friday offers scholarship holders a new forum to present their research projects and answer questions in plenary discussions.
Note to media:
Representatives of the media are cordially invited to attend the official opening on Friday 12 April at 6 p.m. in the "Lichthof", Leibniz University Hannover. Journalists are welcome to join the "Science Flash Talk" and the presentations.
About the DAAD
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is an organisation of German universities and their students that fosters the internationalisation of the scientific system. The DAAD gives students, researchers, and teaching staff access to excellent funding opportunities for study and research. The DAAD fosters transnational cooperation activities and partnerships between universities and acts as a national agency for collaboration in higher education within Europe.
Thus, the DAAD is committed to promote the missions of foreign culture and education policy, national scientific policy, and development cooperation. For this purpose, the DAAD maintains a network of more than 70 international offices, provides funding for approximately 440 lecturers worldwide, and offers training opportunities via the international DAAD Academy (iDA).
In 2018, the DAAD awarded 145,000 euros of funding to researchers from Germany and around the world (including EU programmes). The majority of the funding is provided by the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, as well as by businesses, organisations and foreign governments.
Contact person for DAAD scholarship holder meetings
Kirsten Habbich
Head of the Department Event Management
DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service
+49 228 882-206
k.habbich@daad.de
Contact
Bjoern Wilck
Head of Press Relations, Spokesperson
DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service
+49 228 882-454
presse@daad.de
Note to editors:
For further information, please contact Mechtild Freiin v. Münchhausen, spokesperson of Leibniz University Hannover and head of Communications and Marketing (Tel. +49 511 762 5342, Email: vonMuenchhausen@zuv.uni-hannover.de ).
