Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria and Ukraine are all countries that are the scene of bitter conflicts, some of which have been ongoing for many years. They are often resolved by force of arms. This is why peace and conflict research has long been one of the most important fields of international study. How can the causes of conflicts be identified at the earliest possible stage? Which steps could be taken to prevent them being resolved violently? Which political regulations are conceivable? Researchers in Germany are addressing these questions with exciting ideas and projects. You can also read about the impressive career that took a young man from Britain to Germany, first on a scholarship and now as a fully-fledged researcher, learn about current funding programmes and discover our number of the month.
IN FOCUS: Peace and conflict research
Research for the sake of peace
Millions of people around the world suffer the consequences of wars and conflicts, such as displacement, famine and violence. Research projects in Germany are exploring peaceful solutions and are helping to ease the political situation worldwide.
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How trust brings about peace
What actually happens when peace is officially declared in a country? Do people immediately find themselves living in a better world when a civil war comes to an end? Researchers at the GIGA – the German Institute of Global and Area Studies – are exploring what needs to happen so that people can live peacefully together again after a civil war.
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Refugees at German universities
Education is one of the keys to the future. This is no less true for refugees living in Germany. Education can open up new opportunities for them. In a number of different initiatives, Germany is promoting refugee integration through education.
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From scholarship holder to researcher
The biologist Sam Hardman spent a year on a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship conducting research at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in the small southern German town of Seewiesen. He has now secured a research position for himself there. In our interview, he explained why he could not imagine a better place for his future research.
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9 million US dollars
That’s how much money companies and venture capitalists are investing in German start-up Konux. Its aim is nothing less than to revolutionise the transport industry. A real success story, it all started at the Technical University of Munich.
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