Hyderabad: Osmania University, in collaboration with the DAAD Information Centre, Chennai, and its Office of International Affairs (OIA), organized a focused academic outreach program titled “Research in Germany Day – PhD in Focus” at the University College of Arts and Social Sciences. The initiative aimed to inform postgraduate students and research scholars about structured doctoral opportunities and funding mechanisms available in Germany.

The event commenced with a welcome address by Prof. B. Vijaya, Director, OIA, who emphasized the transformative role of international collaborations in higher education. She noted that global exposure not only enhances academic rigor but also fosters intercultural competence among scholars.

Amita Desai, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Hyderabad, delivered a keynote address highlighting the expanding Indo-German academic partnerships. She encouraged students to leverage DAAD’s robust framework for research mobility and higher studies.

Prof. C. Kaseem provided a cultural and historical overview of Indo-German relations, urging students to develop life skills and linguistic proficiency in foreign languages such as German and French to enhance their global readiness.

Kavitha Somasundaram, Regional Officer, DAAD Chennai, presented a detailed session on “Research in Germany & DAAD Funding,” outlining scholarship schemes, research grants, and institutional support available to Indian doctoral aspirants.

Adding a scientific lens, Dr. Ramakrishna Kancha, Director, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, Osmania University, shared his personal research experiences in Germany, underscoring the value of international collaboration in advancing scientific inquiry.

A live testimonial from Karishma Kumari, a PhD scholar at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, offered students a firsthand account of academic life in Germany. She spoke about adapting to global research environments and the intellectual enrichment offered by Germany’s research infrastructure.