International

Fo­cus on Cen­tral and East­ern Eu­rope

Focus on Europe at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary; member of the CENTRAL Network. Photo: Daria Kukharenko

Central and Eastern Europe is a key region, in our view. Humboldt-Universität cultivates historical connections here and takes current political developments into account with various exchange and support programmes.

The geographical proximity and the long shared history make this region an important partner in scientific exchange. HU had already established strong regional science in the 19th century, which is still the starting point for multifaceted collaborations with partner institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. The exchange with universities in Eastern European capitals was further expanded in the GDR and intensified in unified Germany in the course of the EU eastward enlargement – increasingly also with partner institutions outside the capitals.

The CENTRAL Network, an alliance of leading universities in Berlin, Budapest, Warsaw, Prague and Vienna, is a central instrument for the cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe. It offers space for joint research projects, promotion of young researchers and innovative forms of academic cooperation in a changing European science landscape.

Through various programmes and networks, Humboldt-Universität provides numerous opportunities for students and researchers. In addition to the support for exchange with Erasmus+, the following possibilities are available:

  1. DAAD Eastern Partnerships: The DAAD Eastern Partnerships programme enables HU researchers to establish and expand collaborations with 15 universities in Central and Eastern Europe – including in Albania, Poland, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Joint projects, events and travel for researchers and students are funded.
  2. CENTRAL Workshops: The annually announced CENTRAL Workshops bring researchers and students from at least three CENTRAL universities together for two to three days to initiate new collaborations or to consolidate existing ones.
  3. CENTRAL Leadership Program: Advanced master’s students and doctoral students who wish to prepare for leadership roles in science, politics or diplomacy have access to tailor-made leadership training with a focus on Central Europe through the CENTRAL Leadership Program. The call for applications is made annually in spring.
  4. HU Ukraine Assistance: In response to the war, HU is supporting Ukrainian refugee students with a special programme intended to facilitate integration at the University for them. This includes scholarships, language courses, extensive consultations and a streamlined enrolment procedure.

Network East-West: Armenia 2024 programme

Network East-West (NOW) has been connecting law students from Central and Eastern European universities since 1997 to promote interdisciplinary exchange, cultural encounters and collaborative learning. In 2024, students from Berlin and Yerevan came together in both cities for one week. The participants gave presentations on topics such as the legal regulation of artificial intelligence, data protection and smart contracts. In addition to the expert exchange, the programme offered cultural highlights such as visiting the Genocide Museum in Yerevan and the Bundestag in Berlin.

    • East­ern Part­ner­ships

      Cooperations

      The DAAD programme Eastern Partnerships provides researchers at Humboldt University with the opportunity to establish and expand collaborations with fifteen selected universities in Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Contact

    • Dr. Ste­fan Karsch

      Officer, strategic partnerships (Europe) | international graduate programmes | contract management

      International and European science cooperation Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Room 2246b ste­fan.karsch@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 46714