The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) is an association of higher-education institutions in Germany founded in Heidelberg, in 1925. The DAAD grants scholarships to students and academics, promotes the internationalization of German universities, and supports German language and cultural studies abroad. From its position as the National Agency for EU Higher Education Cooperation on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the DAAD is also the National Agency for the Erasmus+ programme. The DAAD has a worldwide network of partners and alumni organizations. The DAAD promotes international collaboration, fosters academic networks, and contributes to global knowledge exchange. With a presence in numerous countries, a strong network of partners and alumni, and a dedicated team, the DAAD plays a pivotal role in advancing higher education and research worldwide.
The DAAD intensified its cooperation with universities in South-Eastern Europe shortly after the fall of communism and, in this context, also placed more lecturers in these countries, including in Romania, at the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu. The DAAD-Lektorat looks back at a history of more than 20 years in which both academic work, in the sense of contributions to conferences and publications, as well as activities with and for students have been carried out.
Every year, the DAAD awards a large number of scholarships for students, doctoral candidates and academic staff at universities. The offer includes both full scholarships (Master’s or doctorate) and short-term scholarships for research stays. The DAAD also funds study trips to Germany for groups of students and language courses in Germany.
