Following the successful applications in the DAAD project line for the further training and retention of international Research Alumni and the selection of participants, the time has finally come: three international scientists who have conducted research in Münster in the past and four representatives of our university are taking part in the project week ‘Global Digital Health-Interdisciplinary Challenges from International Perspectives’’ in Cologne and Heidelberg!

Among the Research Alumni are sports scientist Dr Tiia Kekäläinen from Finland, who received a WiRe-Fellowship for female researchers to do research in the Active Aging Lab last year, microbiologist Prof Adebayo Shittu from Nigeria, who has a long-standing research collaboration with Prof Frieder Schaumburg from the Institute of Microbiology, and Research Alumni-Ambassador Prof Fernando Buarque da Lima Neto from Brazil, who is an expert in programming and AI, cooperating with ERCIS. The researchers will visit two attractive research locations – the University of Cologne and the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg – where they will participate in an interdisciplinary and international exchange on one of the most important scientific topics of our time. Also involved are Prof Christian Juhra, head of the E-Health department at UKM, who will give a keynote speech on the use of biomedical data, sports scientist Prof Michael Brach, who is head of the Active Aging Lab, climate researcher Dr Fatemeh Mayvaneh from the Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, and this year's CAPES professor at ERCIS, Prof. Daniel Villela from Brazil. All of them will present their research in presentations and/or participate in panel discussions. Under this link to the project page, further information and the programme are available. Interested researchers can register to participate in the public talks.

The project week is a joint initiative to encourage international Research Alumni and local scientists from six German research institutions and universities to brainstorm together. In addition to the hosts - the University of Cologne and the German Cancer Research Centre - the University of Münster, the Universities of Heidelberg and Siegen, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are among the organisers. The programme focuses on highlighting the social and developmental relevance of digital advances in all scientific disciplines related to human health and medicine.

The project week will include keynote speeches, panel discussions, interdisciplinary exchanges, tours of laboratories and a cultural programme. The interactive and participant-focused approach of the project aims to facilitate the sustainable scientific transfer of knowledge, promote international and interdisciplinary cooperation, and strengthen the ties between international alumni and their German research institutions.

For further information, please contact Audrey Busch, the coordinator of the Research Alumni-Strategy at the University of Münster by email to research.alumni@uni-muenster.de.

Here is the chance to return to Germany, visit two fascinating research locations and engage in an interdisciplinary and international exchange on one of the most important scientific topics of our times! The project week is a collaborative initiative bringing together International Research Alumni and local researchers from 6 German partner institutions from 20 – 26 November 2025 in Cologne and Heidelberg. Apart of the organising hosts – the German Cancer Research Centre DKFZ in Heidelberg and the University of Cologne – Münster is among the participating universities, together with Heidelberg, Siegen and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The focus of the meeting is to address the societal, developmental and global relevance of digital advancements in all health-related sciences.

Among these are disease prevention, diagnostics, medical care and therapy, as well as bio-medical informatics, ageing research, health policies and education, alongside their challenges and opportunities from a global perspective.
Alumni Researchers from developing, emerging, and industrialised countries are invited to apply. For successful applicants travel and lodging will be supported with a fixed sum. To be funded, it is a prerequisite that you are an international Alumna/i of Münster University. That means, the project is aimed at those, who conducted research at our university in the past and have spent at least 3 months in Germany as a part of their academic career.

Activities will include keynote lectures, discussion panels, interdisciplinary exchanges, lab tours and a cultural programme. The interactive and participatory design seeks to facilitate sustainable scientific transfer of knowledge, strengthen international and interdisciplinary collaboration, and enhance alumni connections with German research institutions.

For further clarifications contact Audrey Busch at the 'Researchers & Staff' department of the International Office via research.alumni@uni-muenter.de

Further information:

First draft of the foreseen programme

More information and the full application guidelines

The Research-Alumni strategy at the University of Münster is not only precious to favour sustainable research cooperations and increase the visibility of our institution in the world. Recently, once more, it’s significance in the field of science-communication was highlighted when the Research-Alumni Ambassadors Prof Daniela Bonanno from the University of Palermo and Prof Corinne Bonnet from the Scuola Superiore Normale di Pisa enriched a podium discussion dealing with different aspects of religious pluralism. Both were nominated in 2018 and have actively maintained their research cooperation with the Seminar of Ancient History since many years.

In the afore mentioned event on Sunday, 18 February 2024 more than 120 interested spectators joined in the beautiful historic building of the Erbdrostenhof, to listen to the theories of experts from different scientific domains on the pacific approach to religious diversity. Keywords were openness, tolerance, the capacity to favour compromise and the willingness to promote self-criticism. The podium discussion war a cooperation project between the Science Office of the City of Münster, the Vice Rector for Internationalisation, Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability and the Welcome Centre in the International Office (where the coordination of the Research-Alumni strategy is based).

Prof Detlef Pollack as former speaker of the Cluster of Excellence „Religion and Politics “acted as the keynote-speaker and addressed how modern democratic and liberal societies deal with the increasing religious plurality. Prof Daniela Bonanno presented lessons from antiquity regarding important aspects of polytheistic religions as pragmatism in her speech, combining her research and findings of Prof Corinne Bonnet. Dr Manon Westphal from the Institute of Political Science focussed on theories of compromise and their relevance in the negotiations of the Peace Treaty of Westphalia and also in contemporary life. Last, but not least, Prof Mouhanad Khorchide from the Centre for Islamic Theology explained which challenges the Islamic Theology of Peace is facing today.

After the presentations, the audience had the option to address the different speakers in a Q&A session. A strongly expressed wish was the desire to find more options for interchange between different confessions and cultures.

Further information:

Ankündigung Universität Münster

Wissenschaftsbüro Stadt Münster