Since the mid-1990s and the conception of two "Action Programmes", the DAAD has developed a number of institutional structure-building programmes which aim to make German higher education, science and research more attractive to the international market (Goal 3). These programmes serve to improve the content of study and research offerings (aa), to make "customer-oriented" improvements to the legislative frameworks for foreign guests (bb) and, finally, to professionalise the information and marketing activities of Germany’s higher education institutions (cc). Chapter 5 of the full Annual Report (available in German only) outlines these programmes.

Internationally-attractive study and research opportunities
The demonstration programme called "International Study Programmes" currently supports 30 Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes with a strong international focus. These study offerings stand out with their special guidance, counselling and supervision services, integrated study phases abroad as well as – because around half the students are foreigners – their programme-integrated German language courses. They generally offer English-instructed courses and end with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

The DAAD and the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG) are working together in the "Doctorates at Universities in Germany" (PHD) programme to implement the recommendations of the German Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat) and the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) on reforming doctoral training in Germany. The programme aims to strengthen and sustain the competitiveness of Germany’s universities by changing the structure of doctoral studies and, so, to make them more attractive for highly-qualified applicants. 42 projects are currently being funded. A joint conference on the topic of "Fundraising" was held for both programmes in May, while December saw another conference held on the topic of "Selection and Recruitment".

The "International Quality Networks" programme enables universities to develop and run networks whose core is made up of projects in the fields of teaching and/or research and which, on account of their particular subject and thematic significance, open up new prospects for cooperation with top-rate foreign partner institutions. By incorporating doctoral students, postdocs, visiting professors and students from the respective partner institutions, these projects contribute substantially towards internationalising the universities and improving their position in the international education market. 33 projects are currently being funded.

The INNOVATEC programme supports visiting professorships completed at German universities by highly-qualified foreign academics and researchers from promising future subject areas. These visiting professorships contribute to internationalising the universities and improve the teaching capacities in subjects in which there is currently a lack of academic staff. After four selection rounds, 83 foreign visiting professors from 30 countries were funded in the year under report, primarily from the fields of computer science and the natural sciences.

The "Export of German degree courses" programme provides German universities with start-up funding to offer commercially-planned transnational and crossborder study programmes abroad. Projects range from summer schools via the collaborative establishment of study programmes developed in Germany at a partner university (University of Göttingen in Indonesia and Chile, TU Ilmenau in Russia) and the foundation of faculties and training centres within the scope of existing university cooperation agreements (University of Bochum in South Africa, RWTH Aachen University of Technology in Thailand) right through to the foundation of a self-contained university – such as the "German University in Cairo" (Universities of Ulm and Stuttgart) or the "German Institute for Science and Technology in Singapore – GIST" (TU Munich).

As a rule, these projects are jointly run with foreign partner universities and benefit from the support of business and industry corporations working in relevant specialist fields. 29 projects are currently receiving support under this programme.

Improving frameworks for international students, academics and researchers
A number of activities serve the goal of making the legislative frameworks governing study and research stays in Germany more hospitable. The desired improvements range from comprehensive information and changes to the legislation on foreigners (status and work permits) through to admissions procedures at German higher education institutions and the guidance and supervision programmes.

The removal of language barriers deserves particular attention. This goal is served by the worldwide use of a centrally-set and corrected German as a foreign language test called "TestDaF", which students can currently take at 300 test cen tres in 80 countries; moreover, Germany’s universities are increasingly choosing TestDaF as an alternative to the standard DSH German language proficiency test known as "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber" which they generally used before.

The Academic Evaluation Centre (Akademische Prüfstelle – APS) established in Beijing in 2001 has proven itself. This centre was set up at the German Embassy and is administrated by the DAAD. Its role is to act as a service centre for Germany’s universities by checking the documents submitted by the many Chinese applicants to ensure that these are genuine. The work of the APS has been highly welcomed by Germany’s higher education institutions. November saw more than 40 higher education institutions, the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and the DAAD jointly establish an admissions service called ASSIST e.V. in Berlin which provides foreign applicants and its German member universities with a special (English) service: verification of the applicants’ ability to study (qualification) and the electronic processing of applications. This eases the administrative workload on the higher education institutions, while they continue to be absolutely responsible for the admissions criteria.

International higher education marketing
The "International Marketing for Studies and Research" office began its work in 2001 and was able to take up and carry out the full range of campaigns planned up to the end of 2003, using special funds received from the sale of 3rd generation digital phone networks (UMTS). This office now acts both for the Higher Education Consortium "GATE-Germany" and for the secretariat of the Joint Initiative on "International marketing to promote study, research and training in Germany".

The "GATE-Germany" consortium was jointly established with the HRK. Its mission is to position the study and research programmes offered by its 112 members (universities, science and research organisations, and other education providers) in the international market. Its action fields include marketing initiatives abroad (organisation of exhibition stands, information and promotional tours, media campaigns, etc.) as well as continuing training seminars for marketing officers from universities in Germany; in addition, GATE-Germany develops and produces print media, CD-ROMs and websites. DAAD Vice-President Professor Max Huber, who is simultaneously the Federal Government Commissioner for International Higher Education Marketing, chairs the consortium.

"GATE-Germany" sees itself as part of the Joint Initiative on "International marketing to promote study, research and training in Germany", also launched in 2001 and affiliated to the Bund-Länder Commission for Educational Planning and Research Promotion (Bund-Länder Kommission für Bildungsplanung und Forschungsförderung – BLK). Federal government (Bund), the federal states (Länder), intermediary organisations, education, science and research institutions, and German business and industry have joined forces in a global advertising campaign run under the slogan of "Hi! Potentials – International Careers Made in Germany". This is achieved by organising a series of international events in cooperation with "GATE-Germany" and the key German science and research institutions and funding organisations. These events series are accompanied by a media campaign aimed at presenting a coherent image abroad in order to raise the international appeal of the study and research programmes offered in Germany.

Information and Advice Network 2003

The creation of a worldwide network of DAAD Information Centres (ICs) plays an increasingly important role here. These ICs are run by Lektors and provide information and advice locally, organise events, including larger education fairs, the latter together with the "International Higher Education Marketing for Education and Research Office"; they also make and maintain contacts with the media and with other multipliers and disseminators, including, in particular, former DAAD scholarship holders.