The German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst – DAAD) is distributing funds provided by the German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt – AA) to allow for the structural establishment of initially four ‘Global Climate and Environment Centres’ (hereafter called ‘Centres’) in emerging and developing countries in all global regions (Africa, Asia, the Near and Middle East, Central and South America) that are each going to maintain links to Germany and other countries, as well as to each other.

The four envisioned Centres address relevant issues related to climate and the environment (such as the reduction of greenhouse gases that harm the climate (mitigation), promotion of climate-friendly business operations, measures for adapting to the consequences of climate change (adaptation)) from a range of different scientific and trans-national perspectives. Sustainable and climate-friendly forms of cooperation shall give rise to an environment from which research in matters of climate and the environment can benefit on the long run, and that provides for favourable conditions for international political exchange. Networking with the business sector and cooperation of science
and technology and the transfer of results into practical applications are facilitated. Planning provides for the Centres to base their activities on the cooperation form of the real-life laboratory.

The programme follows an inter-disciplinary approach, encouraging climate and climate impact research in a strict sense, as well as further scientific disciplines (engineering, natural and social sciences) that deal with matters concerning climate and the environment. The Centres should evolve into think tanks of international climate, climate impact and environmental research and maintain links to each other that promote synergy effects and allow for overarching questions to be addressed, which are of global as well as of immediate importance for the countries themselves and for surrounding third states.

Target Group
The direct target group comprises master’s students, doctoral candidates, postdocs, habilitation candidates, researchers, professors, administration staff, disseminators and alumni.

The indirect target group comprises stakeholders from the areas of politics and business and civil society.

Eligible applicants
Eligible applicants are officially recognised German higher education state institutions.

Application process
The application process has two levels to allow for inter-disciplinary and intercontinental networking of the Centres from the outset.

• Level 1: Expression of interest
  To take part in the application process, a project outline (please use the expression of interest template) must be submitted in a timely manner, via the email address climate-centres@daad.de.
• Level 2: Application for project funding
  An application for project funding may only be submitted (complete and on time) via the DAAD portal (www.mydaad.de).

The application should be drawn up in cooperation with the foreign partner(s) and any German partner institutions (further higher education institutions, non-university research facilities, foundations, etc.). The involvement of partner institutions from other European and non-European industrial nations that take part in the cooperation using their own funds is also very welcome. The
application documents are also available in English for this purpose.

Application deadline

• Expression of interest: 19 November 2020
• Application for project funding: 23 February 2021

More information please download the Call for Application and Impact Analysis Structure - Global Climate and Environment Centres