The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is an association of higher education institutions and student bodies in the Federal Republic of Germany.  The DAAD promotes international academic exchange and acts as an intermediary organisation in the field of foreign cultural, science and education policy as well as in the field of education cooperation with the developing countries. The German Academic Exchange Service is Germany’s National Agency for academic exchange and the largest worldwide organization of its kind. Since 1950, the organization has enabled 610.000 foreigners to study in Germany, as well as a similar number of Germans to gain academic experience abroad. Over the years DAAD has acquired international expertise and a worldwide presence.

The German Academic Exchange Service is one of the world's largest and most respected intermediary organisations in its field. Scores of students, teachers, researchers and scientists supported by the DAAD have been able to gain valuable experience abroad. However, there are also many other sides to the work of the DAAD. The 200 and more programmes with which the DAAD pursues the above-detailed objectives range from short-term exchanges for research or teaching purposes through to doctoral scholarships lasting several years for graduates from developing countries, from information visits by delegations of foreign university vicechancellors through to the long-term regional programmes conceived to establish efficient higher education systems in the Third World.

The goals of DAAD are:

• To promote young foreign elites as a means of gaining future leadersin education, science, research and culture, in business and industry, inpolitics and in the media as partners and friends of Germany.
• To promote young German elites in order to qualify them asopen-minded future leading figures in education, science and research,in culture, in business and industry, in politics and in the media in thespirit of international and intercultural experience.
• To promote the internationality and appeal of Germany’s universitiesto ensure that Germany remains a leading address for young academicsand researchers from all around the world.
• To promote German studies, the German language, literature andarea studies at selected universities around the world in order tostrengthen German as a major international cultural language andlingua franca and to advance interest in, knowledge of and understandingfor Germany.
• To promote academic and scientific advancement in developingcountries and in the transformation countries of Central and EasternEurope as a means of supporting the economic and democratic reform process there.

Here you find more information about the activities of DAAD worlwide.

In 2004, the Information Centre in Yerevan was opened and serves as a point of contact for all issues concerning cooperation between Germany and Armenia in the field of Higher Education.  It provides information to individuals and institutions interested in academic exchanges with Germany. Using funds provided by the Federal Foreign Office, the DAAD promotes Germanstudies, German language and area studies and corresponding teacher training measures at foreign universities with its Lektors, scholarships and grants, special events and publications.Currently three DAAD lecturers are teaching at State Linguistic University after Brusov. Furthermore, DAAD supports university partnerships, e.g. between Mannheim University, Rostock University and Yerevan State University. Every year, DAAD awards scholarships to more than 50 students and academics. In 2004, the German Alumni Association of Armenia was founded.

Deutschmobil-Tour 2008
In May 2008, DAAD and the German Embassy organized a promotion tour in Vayots Dzor und Syunik. The German delegation attended three universities and five schools to encourage students to learn German and to inform about study and research in Germany.
Read more: Report in German in satt.org
Report in English in ArmeniaNow