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"Meet Your Future You" - How to apply successfully for funding...
This episode is designed for international early-career researchers from all disciplines who want to pursue research in Germany. Learn from the DAAD about funding opportunities and the application process, hear testimonials from researchers who successfully secured funding and learn from their experiences and finally participate in a Q&A to clarify your questions and gain practical advice for your own applications.
Episode 7: "Meet Your Future You" - How to apply successfully for funding...
In our seventh episode, How to apply successfully for funding, we focus on the application process for research funding in Germany. The session is aimed at international early-career researchers from all disciplines who are planning to start or continue their research careers with a stay in Germany and require financial support for their projects.
Drawing on its institutional experience, the DAAD will provide practical insights into funding application procedures and share hands-on guidance on how to prepare a strong application. In addition, international researchers who have successfully secured different types of funding will share their personal experiences and reflect on their individual paths toward funding approval with various funding organisations.
The session will conclude with a Q&A segment, offering participants the opportunity to raise their questions and discuss specific aspects of the application process.
- Introduction by "Research in Germany"
- Presentation by DAAD representative about application processes and tips
- Presentation by Rana Tootoonchi
- Presentation by Manuel Ni Mensah
- Q&A session
Register here!
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The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the world’s largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students and researchers. Since its founding in 1925, the DAAD has supported around three million scholars in Germany and abroad. As an association of German higher education institutions and student bodies, its work extends far beyond the awarding of scholarships. The DAAD promotes the internationalisation of German universities, contributes to capacity building in higher education systems - particularly in the Global South - and advises policy makers on issues related to international education, science, and development policy.
Each year, the DAAD funds a wide range of academic pathways, from study stays and doctoral programmes to research visits, internships, and visiting lectureships. Funding decisions are made by independent selection committees composed of experts from academia. Through its global network of regional offices and information centres, the DAAD provides guidance to prospective applicants and partner institutions worldwide.
At this event, the DAAD will be represented by a staff member responsible for scholarship programmes for the Asia-Pacific region. The work of this section includes the administration of funding programmes for students, graduates, and researchers, the support of applicants throughout the application process, the organisation of selection procedures, and the academic and administrative supervision of scholarship holders. These tasks are carried out in close cooperation with the DAAD’s regional offices in Asia. Drawing on his daily work and extensive consulting experience, the speaker will share practical insights into DAAD funding opportunities and application procedures. He will address key aspects that aspiring researchers should consider when applying for funding, explain how selection processes work, and highlight common challenges faced by international applicants. In addition, he will provide concrete tips based on his experience advising early-career researchers who are planning a research stay or academic career step in Germany.
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Rana Tootoonchi is a PhD candidate in Digital Technologies in Heritage Conservation at the University of Bamberg, Germany. She is affiliated with the Bamberg Graduate School for Smart City Sciences (BaGSCiS), and her doctoral research is conducted within the Smart City Bamberg initiative. She is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering and a Master’s degree in Conservation and Restoration of Architectural Heritage from the University of Tehran, Iran.
Before starting her doctoral studies, she worked for several years as a researcher and restoration expert in various professional and academic contexts in heritage conservation and documentation.
Her academic output includes journal articles and conference papers on sustainable conservation, adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, and digital documentation. These works address theoretical approaches, as well as applied case studies.
Since the start of her doctoral studies, she has participated in various courses, summer schools, and specialized training programs related to digital technologies and heritage documentation. She is currently conducting her doctoral research project, “HeriTwinneD: Digital Twin Applications in Heritage Buildings within the Smart City Bamberg”, which focuses on the integration of digital twin technologies into heritage conservation practices. The project examines the use of digital models and data-driven methods to support monitoring, analysis, and long-term management of historic buildings within a smart city framework. In addition to the PhD project, she is involved in academic publishing, international conferences, and teaching-related activities.
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Manuel is an early-career researcher with interests in road safety, sustainable mobility, and transport policy, and experience spanning Ghana, Germany, and international collaborations.
In 2023, he participated in the DAAD Sustainable Mobility Academy at TH Wildau, Germany, where he gained insights into the German transport system and the various research opportunities available, including the AvH Fellowship. Manuel views this fellowship as a stepping stone toward his PhD, which he hopes to pursue in Germany as well.
Manuel is currently researching at the University of Kassel as a Research Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s International Climate Protection Fellowship. He holds a Master of Philosophy in Transport Geography from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. Outside academia, Manuel is a lover of the arts and culture.