14 May 2024 at 10:30 am
Opportunity for New Zealand and German academics to collaborate
Under a bilateral exchange arrangement with Germany, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is supporting early-career researchers from New Zealand to cooperate on research projects in Germany.
The third funding round for the Programmes for Project-Related Personal Exchange (PPP) programme is open now. The programme supports early-career academics from New Zealand higher education institutions to travel to Germany and engage in research projects.
The PPP programme was established in 2021, when ENZ and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
Amy Rutherford, Regional Director Americas, the Middle East and Europe said the programme aims to strengthen academic relations between New Zealand and German institutions and to promote cooperative and complementary research activities.
“It enables young academics to not only further their careers, but also expand New Zealand’s international research links” she said.
The programme aims to fund group exchanges involving two to four researchers per country and covers all subject areas. It invites researchers to think of a project that would particularly benefit from working with German academic counterparts.
University of Otago Professor Chris Button is a recipient of PPP funding from the 2023 round and is working with Dr Robert Rein from the German Sport University in Cologne.
They are undertaking research that aims to provide evidence-based advice on how to promote water safety and prevent drowning.
Chris and his counterpart identified that drowning is a major cause of accidental deaths worldwide and is noted as one of the key challenges in the United Nation’s commitment to achieve global, economic, social and environmentally sustainable development.
The pair have observed a gap in academic literature about the potential benefits of floating, versus treading water or swimming when someone is in trouble in the water. They have collected a series of samples from 200 participants in New Zealand and will publish their findings soon.
Chris said he’s grateful that the PPP programme has helped him reinvigorate a long-standing collaboration with Robert.
“I encourage others to take the opportunities this programme offers to connect New Zealand and German academics” he added.
Applications for the 2024 funding round close on 28 June 2024, click here to find out more and apply.
