The DAAD, runs over 200 programmes, ranging from short-term research and teaching exchanges through to doctoral scholarships for (post)graduates and professionals from developing countries lasting several years, and from information visits by delegations of foreign university heads through to long-term regional programmes aimed at establishing efficient higher education structures in the Third World. These are outlined in the 2005 Chronicle, which is only available in the full German version of the Annual Report, Chapter II, and on the DAAD website. Below are only outline the general guiding principles that apply to most of these programmes.

Independent performance-based selection
Even when it was a controversial issue, the DAAD supported an elitist system of funding based purely on performance, backed up by independent academic Selection Committees, and thus open to anybody who meets these high standards. In addition to their intellectual ability, funding recipients also need to have a personality which we leads us to expect that they will, either directly or indirectly, give back some of what they have gained through the funding back to the society that supported them. Of course, this aim is not equally important in every DAAD programme (for example, shorter programmes).

People before projects, individuals before institutions
Experience has shown that investing in the best minds produces better long-term results than funding spectacular projects. This is why the individual scholarship holder is at the centre of all DAAD programmes. Bright people generally do bright things and therefore deserve trust rather than control, a realisation that makes proper selection (essentially, the quality of the selectors) the key factor. Of course, this focus on people does not rule out the fact that universities are expected to assume a share of the responsibility (for example in exchange programmes) or that mobility takes place in a thematic or disciplinary framework (e.g. Carlo-Schmid- Programme of Internships in International Organisations).

Personal initiative and the “bottom-up approach”
The DAAD does not only expect applicants to show personal initiative before and during their stay abroad or in Germany, as the case may be in its individual scholarship programmes. Even institutional programmes usually develop from ideas that come from the universities or the selection committees, i.e. from the “grass roots”, and are then negotiated with the potential sponsors. This approach serves to ensure the requisite sustained interest and staying power on the part of all those involved. A constant flow of new applications and proposals, discussions in the selection committees and regular programme-based (evaluation) meetings ensure that the DAAD remains in close contact with the real players on site.

Balanced distribution of subjects
Essentially, DAAD programmes are equally open for all subjects and disciplines, because such equity in the development of the sciences and humanities and of young academics is the best way of preparing and providing for an unknown future. Of course, this principle cannot always be maintained in the face of the preferences of individual sponsors at home and abroad which are often specific and occasionally even subject to fashions or trends. From the DAAD’s perspective, the principle of subject balance includes, without doubt, a massive commitment to young artists in all branches; with almost 2,000 funding approvals each year granted to Germans and foreigners, the DAAD is now Germany’s largest funding organisation for young artists.

Appropriate regional distribution
Just as in the case for balanced subject distribution, the DAAD also endeavours to achieve the broadest possible regional distribution of its programmes, resources and recipients across all countries, a policy that occasionally conflicts with the regional preferences of sponsors and funders. Of course, even the DAAD – in accordance with its own inherent objective necessities – does differentiate between countries. These quasi “endogenous” regulating factors include applicant demand and quality (many Germans want to go to the United States, but the opposite does not apply, unfortunately), traditional academic and research relations with particular countries (not least, for example, the Vietnam heritage of the former East Germany) and privileged political-cultural relations, such as those between Germany and France. While the scholarship quotas for foreigners are politically set in agreement with the Federal Foreign Office (AA) in its capacity as the DAAD’s institutional sponsor, the quotas for Germans essentially follow the respective (country) demand. However, this does not rule out the possibility of the DAAD occasionally developing special programmes to stimulate politically, academically or professionally- desired demand (such as the programmes: “Go East” and “Language and Practice in China”).

Two-way exchange rather than one-way traffic: the international learning community
As its name has declared for 80 years now, the DAAD places great importance on genuine exchange, i. e. dialogue, two-way contacts, mutual and reciprocal relations, and an international scholarly community. Only in this way can we gain the trust and solidarity of our partners and achieve the greatest possible return on our investment. The return for the international learning community lies not least in a sustained willingness to reform that arises from active ideas, cross-border cooperation and international competition. This is why “Change by Exchange” the DAAD’s motto is and why the DAAD attaches such importance, despite increasing national and worldwide competition for reputation (rankings), resources and the best minds (education market), first and foremost on cooperation that benefits both sides.

Continuity and dependability
In order to achieve sustained success, international academic cooperation relies on continuity and dependability. Even smaller scholarship programmes, if offered year in year out, can build up a cross-generation network of alumni and can have a lasting and far-reaching impact. This is why the DAAD prefers to fund more modest long-term programmes rather than spectacular but short-lived initiatives. Yet even this principle occasionally needs to be defended against accusations of “protecting vested interests”.