Fact Finding Missions

People sitting in front of each other talking.

The Fact Finding Missions programme helps German university lecturers to meet potential cooperation partners in DAC countries. The aim is to use preparatory visits to set up long-term collaboration.

Background

Many universities, especially in developing and newly industrialised countries, have relatively little contact with institutions abroad. Those that already have networks often lack the capacities to expand and broaden them.

In order to prepare project proposals for a collaboration between two or more universities (or other institutions), staff and finances are needed. This is especially the case if the needs of all participating partners are to be determined and included in the focus of the cooperation project, which is an important prerequisite for sustainable partnerships.

In order to establish contacts, provide incentives for consolidating and broadening networks, and support the creation of long-lasting partnerships, the DAAD’s Fact Finding Missions programme sponsors preparatory visits by delegations of experts from German higher education institutions, which allow them to make contact with potential cooperation partners in DAC countries. Visits to one or more universities and discussions with other institutions (embassies, ministries, DAAD regional offices, development cooperation organisations, etc.) help determine the needs of partner institutions and an application for a BMZ-funded partnership programme can then be prepared. The visit by the German delegation may be followed by visits of the foreign partners to Germany as this allows for more intensive preparations for the cooperation project and clarification of the partner structure.

Programme objectives

Funding for fact finding missions aims to support collaboration with partners in developing countries at the university level. Fact finding missions are supposed to initiate long-term contractual partnerships at the department and/or institute level. Ideally, these will result in successful joint applications for funding in one of the DAAD partnership programmes.

Supported by:

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
DAAD - Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - German Academic Exchange Service