22nd international network meeting of German academia

22nd international network meeting of German academia

Press release issued jointly by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service and the German Research Foundation

The German Academic International Network (GAIN) is inviting early career researchers to come to Bonn from 2 to 4 September to attend the 22nd GAIN Annual Conference and Talent Fair. The GAIN conference is one of the largest networking events for international academic careers in Germany. This year it will once again bring together researchers and high-ranking representatives from German academia, politics and business. This year, for the first time, it is being held outside North America and is aimed at researchers from Germany who are currently active primarily in Europe.

Everything at GAIN22 from 2 to 4 September will revolve around Germany as a research hub. Hosted jointly by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) and the German Research Foundation (DFG), it is an opportunity for German postdoc researchers to access intensive advice and guidance on their career planning in the Federal Republic of Germany. The GAIN conference provides information on a range of career paths, from professorships at universities and higher education institutions of applied science to research management and making the transition into the research economy or starting a business. There will be workshops focusing on selected issues such as fields of work and career development at international organisations or offering insights into appointment procedures and tenure-track professorships. Over sixty institutions from the research sector will be presenting career opportunities and current vacancies at their institutions during the Talent Fair associated with the GAIN conference. The three host funding organisations will also inform early career researchers about the programmes they offer. As well as offering a wide array of information and advice, GAIN22 will also highlight entertaining science communication: researchers will present their latest research results in a Science Slam.

Prominent guests

After the welcome speech given by BMBF Secretary of State Kornelia Haugg, the conference opens on 2 September with a podium discussion among the presidents and the secretary general of the host organisations – Professor Katja Becker (DFG), Professor Joybrato Mukherjee (DAAD) and Dr Enno Aufderheide (AvH) – together with Professor Michael Hoch (Vice Chancellor of the University of Bonn). Throughout the three-day event, members of the German Bundestag and representatives from higher education institutions, business and non-university research institutions will be on hand to offer advice and answer questions from participants. The appeal of the GAIN conference, which is now being held as an attendance event after two digital annual conferences, is massive: Around 400 people have already registered.

In addition to being an attendance event, this year’s GAIN also offers a one-day digital workshop event on 7 September 2022. This is primarily geared towards interested postdocs from Germany residing in North America.

The German Academic International Network

The German Academic International Network (GAIN) is the network for German academics who are globally active. Since 2003 GAIN has offered a varied programme to help academics and researchers keep in touch with German academic institutions and assist with their preparations to return to Research Hub Germany. GAIN also offers academics and researchers a way of expressing their views to political decision-makers. GAIN is a collaboration between the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service and the German Research Foundation. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Helmholtz Association, Leibniz Association, Max Planck Society, German Rectors’ Conference, the German Academic Scholarship Foundation, and Deutsche Krebshilfe are associate members. Other cooperation partners from academia, industry and politics regularly support GAIN's work.

The GAIN programme and services for journalists

GAIN22 is taking place from 2 to 4 September 2022 at the Maritim Hotel in Bonn. Further information about the network is available via the GAIN-Website; the conference programme is available here. On social media you can find the conference under the hashtag #GoGAIN22. Should you be interested, we can arrange for media representatives to talk with postdocs who will be attending the GAIN conference.

Contact:

• Anna Oberle-Brill
  GAIN Program Director
  oberle-brill@daad.de
  +1 (212) 758-3223-217
  (please note the 6 hour time difference)