The German Research Foundation (DFG) is strengthening its ties with Latin American research funding organizations and universities. As part of a trip to Brazil and Colombia, DFG President Professor Dr. Katja Becker first traveled to São Paulo, where she met Professor Dr. Marco Antonio Zago, President of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). In Brasília, Becker held discussions with Professor Dr. Ricardo Galvão, President of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), as well as with Professor Antonio Gomes de Souza Filho, Vice President of the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES). The DFG has long-standing relationships with all of these organizations, which are now to be further deepened.
In her discussions, the DFG President emphasized the importance of Brazil as a partner for German science: “Given the increasing pressure on free international research, long-term and productive partnerships based on mutual trust and shared values are more important than ever.” Becker stressed that cooperation between Brazil and Germany has grown significantly over the past 20 years: “Since 2019 alone, the DFG has funded over 390 German-Brazilian projects, almost 150 of them co-financed,” said Becker. Some of these began with modest seed funding and have since developed into long-term research networks. “These collaborations offer opportunities for mutual learning and are of great benefit to both the German and the Brazilian research systems.”
The DFG’s partner organization in São Paulo, FAPESP, showed great interest in the German Excellence Strategy – the decisions on the funded Clusters of Excellence, made in Bonn on May 22, were closely followed in Brazil. More than 100 scientific advisors from FAPESP and the rectors of local universities participated in a special exchange event on the Excellence Strategy in São Paulo. They discussed whether a similar initiative could be introduced in Brazil and how cooperation between Brazilian researchers and German Clusters of Excellence could be further strengthened.
