The KAAD in the Middle East

Since its founding in 1958, KAAD has been supporting scholarship recipients from the Middle East. Since the establishment of its Regional Department, KAAD has focused on priority countries where it maintains close ties with civil society, academic, and church institutions and where it has local partner organizations and alumni associations. KAAD’s priority countries in the Middle East are: Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, and Syria.

The focus of the KAAD’s support efforts is on building academic networks and, as a result, strengthening civil society structures. In this way, the KAAD contributes to peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development in the Near and Middle East.
In their home countries, alumni apply the professional and intercultural experiences they gained in Germany in academia, the church, civil society, and politics. In this way, KAAD works with them to build long-term, cooperation-based relationships between their countries and Germany. In addition, it supports thematic university networks backed by the KAAD network, particularly in the areas of interfaith dialogue, water management, sustainable education, German as a foreign language, and mental health.

In terms of content, the KAAD’s funding efforts are focused on key challenges facing the region in the future. Promoting peace and the common good, as well as strengthening civic responsibility, are of particular importance. Given the region’s religious diversity, interfaith dialogue is a central priority. Other priorities include promoting global health, preserving the region’s rich cultural heritage, and supporting a holistic socio-ecological transformation. In addition, KAAD is committed to developing a just and sustainable economic system that enables social participation, strengthens responsible economic practices, and opens up long-term prospects for local people.

Through this holistic approach, KAAD helps to combine academic excellence with social responsibility and to support committed individuals who serve as advocates for peace, dialogue, and sustainable development.