Returners' Associations

Follow-up contacts to former students and scientists from abroad aimed to promote the cooperation lasting and wide-ranging with German colleagues in the same field. The follow-up activities can be the provision of journals, the approval of books and equipment grants, repeat invitations for award holders or subsequent awards for professional follow-up events as well as the support of so-called returner’ associations in the award holders’ country of residence. Parallel to this mediating organisations strength contacts through the awarding of research grants and research prizes.

The Alumni Portal Germany is a gratis social network, that offers Germany-Alumni an opportunity of securing and expanding their acquired contacts and expertise, and of using them for their personal and professional development.

Currently there are over 350 returners' associations for foreign holders of awards and prizes given by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Goethe Institutes in 144 countries listing in the address directory.