Science Tour 2012: Understanding Biodiversity and Climate Change
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- © DAAD / Volker Lannert
Dwindling biodiversity and climate change are pressing challenges for today’s society and will remain so for future generations. The irreparable loss of biodiversity and adverse effects of climate change could dramatically impact world food production, the stability of ecosystems and the frequency of environmental disasters. The environment knows no national borders. Environmental changes affect the whole world and the processes are so complex that international cooperation is necessary to monitor changes, understand the mechanisms and come up with effective answers.
On the occasion of the Year of Science 2012 “Project Earth: Our Future”, launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has invited international scientists and administrators to learn more about research activities in this area at German universities and research institutes. The Science Tour offers German and international researchers the opportunity to discuss current developments in biodiversity and climate change and to define common areas of interest as starting points for future cooperation.
Our ability to understand biodiversity and climate change is of vital importance to us today and in the future. In order to ensure adequate study and research in these fields, it is necessary to educate and support young, talented researchers. The aim is to involve graduate students in international cooperation at an early stage. The tour will provide an impulse for developing new concepts of cooperation at this level.
The Science Tour 2012 is part of the “Research in Germany – Land of Ideas” campaign, initiated by the BMBF in 2006 to strengthen and expand R&D collaboration between Germany and international partners.
The DAAD is the largest funding organisation in the world and supports the international exchange of students and scholars. Its primary objectives include encouraging outstanding academics from abroad to study or conduct research in Germany and enabling German researchers to gain professional qualification at the best institutions around the world.
