Building a Stronger Community for the Future

We are delighted to welcome you to the official website of DAAD Alumni South Africa (DASA), a newly established alumni association bringing together South African recipients of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship programme.

For decades, DAAD has fostered academic excellence, international collaboration and lifelong partnerships between Germany and South Africa. Hundreds of South African researchers, academics and professionals have benefited from DAAD-funded study and research opportunities, returning home with new knowledge, skills and global networks that continue to contribute to South Africa’s development.

DASA has been established to strengthen these connections by creating an active, inclusive and collaborative alumni community. Our aim is to provide a platform where DAAD alumni can reconnect, share expertise, develop new collaborations, mentor emerging scholars and contribute meaningfully to research, innovation and society.

As part of the wider global DAAD alumni network, DASA seeks to support the core values of DAAD by promoting international academic cooperation, scientific excellence, intercultural dialogue and sustainable partnerships between South Africa and Germany. We believe that alumni play an important role in extending the impact of DAAD beyond individual scholarships through collaboration, knowledge exchange and service to society.

An exciting milestone lies ahead as we prepare for our first DASA Strategy Session, taking place in Johannesburg on 12–13 September 2026. This inaugural gathering will bring together alumni from across South Africa to establish the direction of the association, develop its strategic priorities and identify practical initiatives that will benefit both our members and the broader academic community.

The strategy session will focus on defining DASA’s vision, governance and programmes while exploring opportunities to:

• Strengthen engagement among DAAD alumni across South Africa;
• Promote interdisciplinary research collaboration;
• Support early-career researchers and students through mentoring and networking;
• Facilitate partnerships between South African and German institutions;
• Contribute to science, innovation, education and sustainable development in South Africa; and
• Build a vibrant alumni community that reflects the diversity, excellence and shared values of the DAAD network.

This is only the beginning of an exciting journey. We look forward to working closely with DAAD South Africa, DAAD headquarters in Germany, partner universities, industry partners and, most importantly, our fellow alumni as we build an active and impactful community.

Whether you completed your DAAD-funded studies decades ago or have only recently returned to South Africa, you are an important part of this network. We invite you to join us as we reconnect, collaborate and help shape the future of DASA.

Welcome to DAAD Alumni South Africa. We look forward to building this community together.