(05.11.20) On November 4, the virtual Mexican Science Day will take place. The event is organised by the Mexican Embassy in Berlin as part of Berlin Science Week and brings together Mexican and German scientists to present and discuss their projects in health sciences.
The DFG, which has been cooperating closely with the country for many years, will participate in this event with a short opening lecture together with other German and Mexican organisations. Within the framework of the cooperation agreement with CONACYT, which was established in 2014 and renewed in 2018, the DFG cooperates with Mexico in the submission of proposals on the basis of joint calls for proposals. Mexican and German researchers interested in submitting proposals for coordinated programmes should first contact the DFG and CONACYT to check the feasibility.
In 2020 health research gained new visibility in the context of the current pandemic. Never before has it been so guiding to society as a whole, and in particular, for political and economic decision-making. However, this visibility brings with it a high level of responsibility among the involved researchers. For COVID-19 research is still faced with many unknowns and puzzles, despite all the new findings in an unusually short time for science. Two aspects stand out in particular: the importance of basic research and how important cooperation in science is – both nationally and internationally. In the field of health research, the DFG and CONACYT can look back on numerous jointly funded projects, including a German-Mexican research group in the field of neuroscience.
Also in partnership with Mexico, a second International Research Training Group (IRTG) has already been established. An IRTG is a funding programme for structured doctoral training that combines excellent research with the training and joint supervision of German and foreign doctoral students. Projects of this kind can last up to nine years (two phases of 4.5 years) and are coordinated by speakers of both countries (professors at universities). The IRTG “Temporalities of Future ”, is a cooperation between the Institute for Latin American Studies at Freie Universität Berlin, several institutes of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Universität Potsdam, El Colegio de México, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and the Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social. It aims to offer a new perspective on the study of temporalities of the future in the social and cultural sciences.
On Mexican Science Day, Dr. Dietrich Halm, Director of Cooperation with Latin America, will talk about the long-standing cooperation with Mexico. The event is aimed at researchers from both countries.