From 22 to 24 June, the DFG participated in this year’s EU-Jordan Research Days. The event involved the DFG visiting three universities in the north, centre and south of Jordan to join representatives of EU programmes in providing information on funding opportunities for bilateral and international research cooperation.

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The EU-Jordan Research Days are an initiative run by Jordan’s Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), which also organised the event. The aim was to encourage more Jordanian researchers to take part in international research and innovation programmes. Participants received practical information on the funding opportunities that are available through Horizon Europe, through Interreg NEXT MED – which promotes sustainable cooperation between EU members states and partner countries in the Mediterranean region – and through the DFG. During the three-day programme, visits were made to Yarmouk University(externer Link) in Irbid (north), Al-Balqa Applied University(externer Link) in Salt (centre) and Mutah University(externer Link) in the city of Mutah (south). More than 250 Jordanian researchers and representatives of universities and research institutions took part in the Research Days. During the information sessions and workshops organised by the DFG, it emerged that many of the participating researchers already have collaborative links with Germany. The DFG and the HCST intend to build on this by further strengthening German-Jordanian research cooperation in the future. 

Also, from 22 to 24 June, the DFG participated in the Humboldt Kolleg in Fes, Morocco. The Alexander von Humboldt Maghreb Alumni organised the programme under the title Voices in the Machine: Building Inclusive AI through Scientific Foundations and Linguistic Diversity(externer Link). The event was attended by 120 participants from 15 countries across Africa, Europe and the MENA region, including 30 Humboldtians. The interdisciplinary nature of the gathering gave rise to stimulating discussion among researchers from the fields of computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, linguistics, philosophy, education and the social sciences. In a joint panel discussion, the DFG, the Humboldt Foundation and the DAAD presented a range of funding opportunities and engaged in lively discussions with participants. Furthermore, the DFG gave a presentation at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University(externer Link) in Fes which was also attended by representatives of the German Embassy in Rabat. The president and deans of the Moroccan university held talks with the DFG on how future cooperation with German institutions and colleagues could be further intensified. 

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