Drawing from her personal experience, Fortune Agbele highlights the many benefits of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for its scholars and the wider research community.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has been a promoter of international excellence in research, supporting the expansion of research infrastructure and capacities.[1] In Africa, the DAAD supports universities in establishing centers of excellence to improve the quality of education and increase research capacities in line with international standards.[2] Funding opportunities are also awarded to qualified individuals with research interests in diverse fields. In Ghana, besides supporting Higher Educational Institutions through academic cooperation and collaboration, the DAAD provides diverse scholarship schemes to Ghanaians for further education and research in Germany and other partner institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. For instance, in 2022, 218 Ghanaians were awarded scholarships by DAAD.[3] Half this funding was for advanced research, as 82 were doctoral students and 27 were academics and higher education teachers, including postdocs. As a past beneficiary of the DAAD research grant for a Ph.D. in Germany, I highlight in the following paragraphs the contribution of DAAD scholarships to enhancing individuals’ research capabilities with adherence to international research standards.
Training and exposure of young scholars to international standards, ethics, and skills in research design, development, and implementation
Each year, the DAAD research grants support PhD studies in academic institutions in Germany and provide opportunities for beneficiaries to undertake research in fields including natural and social sciences and humanities. These learning opportunities contribute to building capacities in research design, development, implementation, and dissemination. A key aspect of the training is adherence to international research integrity standards- both in terms of the technical and ethical aspects of research. In other words, scholars gain skills in research design, data collection, analysis, and the process of research publication, as well as critical issues of plagiarism, intellectual property, and the ethical conduct of research. The above-listed research elements were critical aspects of the training I received during my DAAD-funded doctoral research at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. For instance, a key condition during research implementation is adherence to ethical considerations during data collection, processing, analysis, and storage to ensure the confidentiality of research respondents and interlocutors. Also, proper attribution to the intellectual properties of works and knowledge was not optional; it is a requirement as the work of individuals is to be properly cited and acknowledged. Though one may argue that these standards are part of the training of researchers worldwide, support by DAAD to individuals to study in Germany and other countries provides an extra edge and exposure to international best practices observed outside their home country.
DAAD’s support extends to research dissemination
A critical side to knowledge creation and transfer is the dissemination of research findings either through networks, conferences, or publications. The DAAD supports the publication of findings from DAAD-funded doctoral research. Not only does this contribute to the visibility of individual research, but it also supports the dissemination of research on national dynamics or phenomena beyond national boundaries. For instance, the DAAD supported the final book publication of my doctoral research.[4] Though the research focuses on voter turnout in Ghana, the work also contributes to the general literature on electoral studies, expanding on the concept of utility to account for individual and collective level utilities to explain variations in voter turnout.[5] Disseminating research findings is necessary for knowledge transfer, and as such, observing international standards during knowledge production would facilitate making known beyond the national boundaries of country-level research findings and dynamics.
[1] DAAD, Centres of Excellence in Research and Teaching. https://www.daad.de/en/information-services-for-higher-education-institutions/further-information-on-daad-programmes/exzellenzzentren/; CAPAZ, CAPAZ is DAAD’ New Center of Excellence in Research and Teaching. https://www.instituto-capaz.org/en/capaz-es-nuevo-centro-de-excelencia-en-investigacion-y-docencia-del-daad/
[2] DAAD, African Excellence-Centres of African Excellence, https://www.daad.de/en/information-services-for-higher-education-institutions/further-information-on-daad-programmes/african-excellence-centres-of-african-excellence/
[3] DAAD Annual Report 2022
[4] Agbele, Fortune. 2021. To Vote or Not to Vote? Understanding the Ghanaian Voter. Nomos, 2021, 317 Pages. https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/9783748928515/to-vote-or-not-to-vote
It is not clear what this means. Re-formulation is suggested. (What is “propagating national dynamics”? And why should this be done?)
Support continuous learning and exchanges through conference and workshop participation during and post-funding
A key element of DAAD-funded research programs and fellowships in Germany is support for participation in international conferences and workshops. Conference participation allows early career scholars to communicate their research to international experts in the field, get feedback, stay up to date on emerging trends in their field, learn about cutting-edge research, and broaden their professional network. As a DAAD Scholar, I had the opportunity to present preliminary findings of my research on several international platforms, including the annual conference of the African Studies Association, the American Political Science Association, and the Election, Public Opinion and Parties group of the Political science Association in the United Kingdom. My participation in these conferences shaped the outcome of my research project. I also learned and stayed up to date on research in my field of study and met and interacted with established authors I have cited in my work.
DAAD’s support to achieve international excellence in research, learning, and exchanges through conference and workshop participation does not end after the completion of the funding program. Each year, the DAAD-Alumni Office supports DAAD alumni to organize conferences and workshops on thematic issues. These are great opportunities for DAAD alumni and non-DAAD participants to benefit from exchanges on issues and stay engaged on emerging issues in their field of interest. In 2021, through the support from the DAAD-Alumni office, the first batch of Ghanian graduates of the DAAD Helmut-Schmidt master’s in public policy and Good Governance Programme (PPGG) met in Accra, ten years after their program. The conference, which I co-organized with two other PPGG alumni, brought together experts from different PPGG cohorts across the world and in Germany, as well as others across the broader public policy and governance field to join panels on various topics, including democracies and alternatives, economic governance, and international cooperations. Sessions were also held for participants to present their research projects for input and feedback. I have also received support to organize an early-career women’s scholars’ workshop in 2023. The workshop, with national and international facilitators, focused, among others, on enhancing the competencies of emerging women scholars in research development, dissemination, and visibility. Sessions on research visibility, for instance, offered knowledge on international publication standards and what international journal editors expect in an article. Knowledge shared through these workshops is accessible to an international audience and participants through DAAD’s support to live stream the event.
[1] Agbele, Fortune. 2021. To Vote or Not to Vote? Understanding the Ghanaian Voter. Nomos, 2021, 317 Pages. https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/9783748928515/to-vote-or-not-to-voteTo conclude, the German Academic Exchange Service has been a promoter of international excellence in research, supporting the training and exposure of young scholars in research design, development, and dissemination and fostering continuous learning and exchanges. This support has greatly contributed to transforming the lives of its beneficiaries and the production and transfer of knowledge, with adherence to international standards.
Dr. Fortune Agbele
Doctor of Philosophy BIGSAS, University of Bayreuth.
