Bonn, 24.10.2016. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The aim is to create new prospects for Syrian refugees through access to higher education in the MENA region and Turkey. DAAD, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the 'Madad Fund' and UNHCR are working together to pool their capacities to reach a higher impact for their HOPES project (DAAD) and the DAFI (UNHCR) scholarship program.

The number of refugees wishing to study in Germany is increasing. This poses new challenges for universities and associations for student affairs. Despite many years of experience in the integration of international students, specific questions naturally arise with regard to refugees.

Bonn/Berlin, 11.10.2016. About 450 initiatives at 162 universities throughout Germany: through the “Welcome” programme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung – BMBF) is currently financing student initiatives all over Germany, which are dedicated to refugees at their universities. The initiatives cover a wide range of services such as legal advice for refugees, language teaching or practical assistance in everyday university life. Previously limited to this year, the programme will be extended to the end of 2018.

Düsseldorf/Bonn, 04/09/2016. The integration model for refugees at universities in NRW, "NRWege ins Studium", has been fast-tracked. The NRW Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research and the State Rectors' Conferences had presented the programme's key elements in April. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is responsible for organisation and implementation. Since 1st September, 34 state and state-refinanced universities in North Rhine-Westphalia have been able to apply to the DAAD for additional funding for purposes of advice and counselling as well as study preparation and study-related measures. The projects are due to start in 2017.

Bonn/Washington, 31 August 2016. The Junior Researcher Pact, the Fixed-term Employment in Higher Education and Research Act and the Excellence Strategy – these three academic policy measures aim to increase the attractiveness and viability of Germany in the coming years. But how do German junior researchers in the USA and Canada view these developments and how will they influence their future careers paths? The questions will be the focus of discussion at the 16th annual GAIN conference in Washington D.C. from 9 to 11 September 2016. The conference will bring representatives from German academic and scientific organisations, government ministries and businesses together with some 300 German researchers who are currently working in the United States and Canada.