Research opportunities in Germany and Austria

Target audience

Graduates, PhD candidates, post docs and research staff from all disciplines including art.

Our guest lecturer Andreas Volk and our assistant teacher Elisabeth Leitner will inform about the research landscape in Germany and the diverse funding opportunities of the DAAD “German Academic Exchanges Service” (DAAD) and OeAD (Österreichs Agentur für Bildung und Internationalisierung). Ieva Pranka from the the Baltic-German University Liaison Office in Riga will inform about project funding for research projects with German partners.

Get information about opportunities to fund research stays at German and Austrian universities such as

•  structured PhD programs at German Universities
• research stays for PhD candidates/students and postdocs (long term or short term)
• special funding programs for 
  - artists and architects
  - green hydrogen technologies

and 

• project funding for research projects with German partners.

About the DAAD

“Change by Exchange” - The DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, is the world’s largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students and researchers. 

Since it was founded in 1925, around 3 million scholars in Germany and abroad have received DAAD funding. It is a registered association and its members are German institutions of higher education and student bodies. Its activities go far beyond awarding grants and scholarships. The DAAD supports the internationalisation of German universities, promotes German studies and the German language abroad, supports countries in the Global South in building and improving their higher education systems and advises decision makers on education, foreign science and development policy.

About the OeAD

"Connecting International Mindspaces" – The OeAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation, is the country’s central competence center for international cooperation in education, science, and research.

Since its inception as the Austrian Academic Exchange Service in 1961, the OeAD has continuously expanded its reach, today promoting lifelong learning and academic exchange from schools to higher education and adult learning. Operating as a non-profit GmbH entirely owned by the Republic of Austria, its strategic tasks go far beyond awarding grants and scholarships. 

The OeAD manages the national implementation of EU programs like Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, supports the internationalisation of Austrian educational institutions, promotes science communication and citizen science, and actively advises decision-makers on national, European, and international education policies.

About the Baltic-German University Liaison Office

The Baltic-German University Liaison Office is a platform that fosters connections and promotes scientific cooperation between Germany and the Baltic States. It facilitates the exchange of ideas, raises awareness of current scientific issues, and encourages individuals and institutions to take part in projects, lectures, and other collaborative initiatives.

The Office also organises the Project Competition, which supports projects in any scientific field that strengthen cooperation between Germany and the Baltic States, as well as collaboration among Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Depending on the selected funding priority, projects may receive grants of up to 2,500 EUR, 5,000 EUR or 10,000 EUR.

Application deadlines:

• 15 October 2026 for projects implemented between 1 February 2027 and 31 October 2027
• 15 March 2027 for projects implemented between 1 February 2027 and 15 November 2027

Applications must be submitted in German or English and include:

• project application
• financial plan
• confirmation of cooperation from the German partner(s)
• detailed programme of the stay abroad

The Office works closely with the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern University Information Office and the DAAD Information Centre in Riga. It also provides books and learning materials for German-language learners, which are available at the Office.
 

Event is held in English.

Contact: Andreas Volk, avolk@tlu.ee