THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) has inaugurated a new regional office in Accra, Ghana, marking a significant expansion of Germany’s academic engagement in West Africa.
The office, which will initially focus on Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon, is expected to strengthen scientific collaboration and enhance academic exchange between the region and Germany.
The DAAD Regional Office – one of only two in sub-Saharan Africa – was officially opened on 24 April by the President of DAAD, Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, who travelled from Germany to attend the ceremony. In his remarks, Professor Mukherjee underlined the importance of the new office in deepening ties between German and West African academic institutions. He described the initiative as a strategic move to foster long-term partnerships and highlighted the critical role of academic exchange in global development.
“The future of academic cooperation in West Africa is promising,” Professor Mukherjee said. “This office will serve as a bridge for students, researchers and universities aiming to connect with Germany’s academic and scientific community.”
Also present at the opening were Mr Manuel Müller, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Accra, and Ghanaian academics including Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, and Professor Rebecca Akpanglo-Nartey, Principal of the College of Languages at the University of Education, Winneba.
The new regional office aims to offer on-the-ground support and advisory services to prospective students and researchers in the region. It will serve as a hub for information on studying and conducting research in Germany, thereby making access to DAAD programmes more efficient and locally responsive.
The DAAD is the world’s largest funding organisation for international academic exchange. Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Bonn, the DAAD supports over 100,000 German and international students and researchers annually. Its funding programmes cover scholarships, university partnerships, academic infrastructure development and expert exchange. The organisation operates more than 20 regional offices and information centres worldwide, reflecting Germany’s strong commitment to global academic cooperation.
With approximately 2.5 million students in Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria — and about 13,500 currently studying in Germany — the demand for academic exchange between West Africa and Germany is rapidly increasing. The newly-established office aims to expand advisory services and scholarship opportunities, foster long-term academic partnerships and connect German universities with institutions in the region. It will also serve as a hub for educational diplomacy, addressing the geopolitical challenges of the Sahel.
With this latest step, the DAAD continues to reinforce its mission of promoting internationalisation, academic excellence and mutual understanding through education.
Felix Dappah
The office location of the DAAD Regional Office Accra is located at No 20 Osu La Crescent, Nyaniba Estates, Accra.
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