First Network Meeting in New Delhi
Heidelberg University invites its current and former visiting scientists to international network meetings within the framework of the Research-Alumni Network. The first of these meetings took place in March of 2012 in New Delhi, India; additional meetings are scheduled for September 2012 and the spring of 2013 in the United States and Italy. On 23-24 March, roughly 20 South Asian Research-Alumni met in the Indian capital of New Delhi. In addition to providing a forum for research-related and regional exchange, this first meeting offered information on the new project and on the research locations of Heidelberg and Germany in general.
The opening conference of the new network took place at the Goethe Institute Max Mueller Bhavan. Prof. Dr. Bernhard Eitel, Rector of Heidelberg University, presented an overview of the current state of research at the university and at non-university research institutions in Heidelberg. Prof. Eitel explained the significance and success of the Excellence Initiative in Germany, and especially in Heidelberg, and described long-term developments, international cooperation projects and the university's strategy of internationalisation. This was followed by a presentation and discussion of the aims and possibilities of the new network. Organised in small groups according to their area of specialisation, the Research-Alumni elaborated suggestions and ideas for the future development of the network. After a day and a half, the conference ended with a dinner for the participants.
