German Research Fair - for graduate, PhD & Postdoc students from Japan

© DWIH Tokyo

You want to do research at a German university or research institute and would like to find out more about doctoral programmes, post-doctoral positions, scholarships and research funding? Join the virtual German Research Fair to get in contact with representatives from many universities, research institutes and funding organisations from Germany!

Exhibitor’s Catalogue →
Flyer →
Participating institutions →
Timetable of Online Seminars →

★Link to Virtual Fair Platform (and registration)

This is the event held in April 2023, click here for the “German Research Fair – for graduate, PhD & Postdoc students from Japan” to be held in April 2024.

Event report

Thank you for attending the German Research Fair ―ドイツ研究フェア! Click here for a summary report of the event:
https://www.dwih-tokyo.org/files/2023/06/230607_GRF-Event-Report.pdf

For more information about this event in Japanese, please switch to the Japanese website.

In addition to a broad variety of information material about each organisation, you can chat and video-chat with representatives at each booth or join their online seminars.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required

Important:

  • Please use GoogleChrome, Firefox or Safari as browser and not InternetExplorer/MicrosoftEdge, because there can be technical difficulties.
  • You can chat at all booths in English (at some booths also in German and Japanese). However, please note that some Online Seminars are in Japanese only.
  • The event closes at 21:00 JST (14:00 CEST) and all chat functions will be disabled, but you can still download material from the platform afterwards (until May 27).
  • If you are unsure how to use the chat, here is an explanation video (in Japanese)
  • If you encounter any technical problems on the day of the fair, please contact us via chat at Infostand/DWIH Tokyo. Before the fair opens, please contact us at info.tokyo[at]dwih.org

Event Information

April 27, 2023, 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM

online
Organizer(s): DWIH Tokyo (German Centre for Research and Innovation Tokyo)

Participating universites, research institutions and funding agencies

Universities

Freie Universität Berlin

Profile】
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the most renowned research-oriented universities in Germany. It is a full-spectrum university, comprising twelve departments and three Central Institutes that together offer more than 150 different academic programs in a broad range of disciplines. The principles of academic freedom and internationality have guided the university’s development since its founding in 1948. Today, FUB maintains roughly 500 partnerships with universities around the world and is home to more than 8,000 international students and scholars from 130 countries.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
Freie Universität Berlin is a cosmopolitan institution, and working internationally an everyday experience. We welcome applications by postgraduates – as students in our German- or English-language taught Master’s programs, doctoral researchers in structured programs or during an individual doctorate, and as postdocs advancing your research career with us.

Research performed at FUB is marked by excellence and interdisciplinarity, internationality and targeted support for ECR. The high quality of our research activities at Freie Universität is confirmed by the university’s outstanding placement in various rankings of higher education institutions as well as in its successful performance in the German Excellence Strategy competition.

Ruhr University Bochum

【Profile】
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) is one of Germany’s leading comprehensive research universities. We host the entire spectrum of disciplines in 21 faculties—from the Humanities, Social Sciences to Engineering, Natural and Life Sciences incl. Medicine.

RUB has a long-standing and close relationship to Japan, illustrated by 20 partnerships with Japanese universities and one unique feature: Germany’s only Faculty of East Asian Studies with its doctoral school “East Asian Future”.

Join our amazing science community of more than 4,000 doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and benefit from offers of the university-wide RUB Research School: dedicated support and guidance, internationalization programs, and advanced academic qualification.

【Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】

  • RUB Research School provides funding for international doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, from 2-week to 6-month visits. We help you find a research host.
  • Profit from our offers on career guidance and our broad workshop program to enhance your personal competencies such as writing or presenting.
  • Our Welcome Centre helps you onboard with visa and insurance issues, finding an accommodation, etc.
  • 9 Interdisciplinary Research Departments: Solvation Science & IT-Security (Both Clusters of Excellence), Materials Research, Neuroscience, Religious Studies, Protein Research, Plasmas with Complex Interactions, Subsurface Modeling and Engineering, Closed Carbon Cycle Economy.
  • Common language of research is English.

Chat Availability
9:00–12:00 CET / 16:00-19:00 JST

University of Bonn

Profile】
The best minds have been able to develop their potential at the University of Excellence in Bonn for over 200 years. Within our transdisciplinary research areas and clusters of excellence, outstanding researchers collaborate across faculties and focus on key scientific, technological and social issues of the future. We want to promote talented researchers at all stages of their careers.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
Doctoral students and postdocs from Japan can benefit from the following programs:

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

University of Hamburg and MIN Faculty

Profile】
Universität Hamburg (UHH) is a University of Excellence and is one of Germany’s best universities. UHH is northern Germany’s largest and most diverse center of research. The University is known for its outstanding basic research as well as its applied and transfer research projects.

The Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences (MIN) and UHH – Germany will be represented at the Fair. The Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences (MIN) is UHH’s largest faculty and comprises the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Informatics, Mathematics, and Physics. UHH was awarded funding for 4 clusters of excellence for the MIN Faculty: Advanced Imaging Matter; Climate, Climatic Change & Society; Quantum Universe and Written Artefacts.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】Doctoral and early career researchers from Japan may conduct research in English in Clusters of Excellence, Collaborative Research Centers (SFB) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), federally and EU funded research projects, DFG Priority Programs, Research Training Groups (GRK), and within various structured doctoral programs in cooperation with non-university research institutions.

The research foci of the MIN Faculty include Climate, Earth and Environment; Photon and Nanosciences, Particle Physics, Astro- and Mathematical Physics, Infection Research and Structural Biology, Cognitive Systems, Computing and Data Science, Ecology and Biological Resources. These MIN research areas significantly shape the University’s research profile.

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

Heidelberg University

Profile】
Heidelberg University is an international research university that emphasizes cross-disciplinary research that transcends the boundaries of conventional academic disciplines. With approximately 28,000 students and approximately 6,000 researchers and faculty members organized in 13 faculties, it is ranked among the top universities in Germany and Europe and has formed a network with research and educational institutions around the world.
Numerous great minds have learned, taught and conducted research at Heidelberg University. Therefore, the oldest German university has played an important part in shaping science and society since its founding in 1386.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
Heidelberg University offers challenging PhD Programs and individual PhD supervision in various fields of study and encourages interdisciplinary research approaches. Students and early career researchers also benefit from a strong network of local research facilities, e.g., Max-Planck-Institute, the DKFZ (German Cancer Research Center). On the MA level Heidelberg University offers a number of programs that are taught in English. On the PhD and Postdoc Level studying and conducting research in English is possible in most subject areas.
For its PhD students and postdocs, Heidelberg University also offers career coaching and counseling for the first stages of an academic career.

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

Research Institutions

German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)

Profile】
The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) has operated as a non-profit, Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) since 1988. Today, it maintains sites in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken, Bremen, Niedersachsen and laboratories in Berlin and Darmstadt.

DFKI combines scientific excellence and commercially-oriented value creation with social awareness and is recognized as a major “Center of Excellence” by the international scientific community. In the field of artificial intelligence, DFKI has focused on the goal of human-centric AI for more than 30 years. Research is committed to essential, future-oriented areas of application and socially relevant topics. The DFKI is developing the innovative software technologies of tomorrow.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
The Japanese-German relationship and the exchange, based on a common AI philosophy, have long been a matter to the DFKI. We maintain various forms of cooperation with different universities and institutions, such as OMU, NICT, and NAIST. Our research and application areas in the context of AI are very broad. We conduct research on topics such as pattern recognition, data management, deep learning and the explainability of AI. Our applications are deployed in areas such as medicine sciences, agriculture, or earth & space observation. Aspiring young scientists can thus choose from a wide range of topics, which enables knowledge transfer.

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

Leibniz Association

Profile】
The Leibniz Association connects 97 independent research institutions that range in focus from natural, engineering and environmental sciences to economics, spatial and social sciences and the humanities. Leibniz Institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance.
They conduct basic and applied research, maintain scientific infrastructures, and provide research-based services.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】

  • Scientific Profile: The Leibniz institutions are divided up into five sections with differing focus areas. Those sections are: A- Humanities and Educational Research, B- Economics, Social Sciences, Spatial Research, C- Life Sciences, D- Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Engineering and E- Environmental Sciences. Active knowledge sharing takes place both within and between the sections.
  • Career Opportunities: The Leibniz Association qualifies and supports researchers at all stages of their careers through measures and programmes such as: Leibniz ScienceCampi, a Leibniz PhD Network, a Leibniz Postdoc Network, Leibniz-Junior Research Groups, and a Leibniz Programme for Women Professors.

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

Max Planck Society

Profile】
The Max Planck Society is one of Germany’s leading research organizations in the field of basic research. Ours is a principle of excellence – in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

More than 13,000 researchers at 86 Max Planck Institutes (MPIs) strive to extend frontiers and advance into new dimensions of knowledge.

The working environment at MPIs is open, stimulating and international. More than half of around 13,000 scientists hold a foreign passport. In addition to this, the Max Planck Society boasts the highest number of women on scientific staff in Germany – even in leading positions.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
We care about supporting early career researchers. We are continuously refining our support structures for career paths, and offer binding contracts of employment, even for the early stages of a career:

  • Master students
  • PhD students
  • Postdocs
  • First time Group Leaders

The working language at our institutes is English. This also applies for all of our programs and courses. A thorough knowledge of English is therefore inevitable. Knowledge of the German language is not mandatory.

Most of our students and researchers receive a working contract with all social benefits. If funding differs, this will already be clarified in the application process.

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

Funding organisations

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Profile】
In providing Research Fellowships for postdocs, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables highly qualified scientists and scholars from abroad who are just embarking on their academic careers and who completed their doctorates less than four years ago to spend extended periods of research (6–24 months) in Germany. Scientists and scholars from all disciplines and countries may apply. The Foundation enables also for experienced researchers who completed their doctorates less than twelve years ago to spend extended periods of research (6-18 months; may be divided up into a maximum of three blocks) in Germany.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, equivalent to JSPS in Japan, offers scholarships for postdoc researchers and experienced researchers who wish to do research in Germany.

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Profile】
The DAAD is the world’s largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students and researchers. The Regional Office Tokyo was established in 1978 and provides information about studying and researching in Germany. In addition to free consultations, it also conducts online info sessions on a regular basis.

For researchers from Japan, the DAAD offers various funding programs, reaching from individual scholarships to financial support of scientific projects, university cooperations and conferences. If you have any question about studying or researching in Germany – we are happy to help!

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
DAAD scholarship programmes for individual PhD students and postdocs include the following:

  • Research Grants – Doctoral Programmes in Germany
  • Research Grants – Short-Term Grants
  • Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists
  • University Summer Courses offered in Germany for Foreign Students and Graduates
  • Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience (P.R.I.M.E.)
  • DLR-DAAD Research Fellowship Programme

The DAAD Funding Guide provides an overview of all scholarship programs: http://www.funding-guide.de/

For more information, see the DAAD Tokyo Office website and follow us on social media!

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

German Research Foundation (DFG)

Profile】
The DFG is the central self-governing research funding organization in Germany. It takes particular care to promote international cooperation, early career researchers, gender equality and diversity in science and the humanities.

The DFG supports international cooperation in all its funding programs. In order to facilitate transnational research cooperation, it maintains relations with a large number of foreign partner organizations, including the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
We offer an overview of funding instruments for the time after your PhD with a focus on the Walter Benjamin Programme and Emmy Noether Programme. We will explain opportunities for doctoral training in International Research Training Groups (IRTGs).

PhD candidates and postdocs of all disciplines are welcome to join our session and visit our booth!

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

JSPS Bonn Office, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

Profile】
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) is an independent Japanese administrative institution established to advance science in all fields of the natural and social sciences and the humanities. JSPS carries out projects classified into five categories:
1. Supporting research initiatives (Kakenhi grants, etc.)
2. Strengthening linkage with society
3. International collaboration
4. Fostering the next generation of researchers and enhancing the education and research activities of universities
5. Granting awards of recognition
JSPS provides various fellowship programs for Ph.D. course students and early career researchers to stay abroad, supporting them to focus on freely chosen research topics based on their ideas.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
JSPS provides the following fellowship programs for Ph.D. course students and early career researchers to go to and stay in Germany.

  1. Overseas Research Fellowship: allowing excellent young researchers to conduct long-term (up to two years) research at an overseas university or research institution (about 20 new fellows to Germany annually).
  2. CPD (Cross-border Postdoctoral) Research Fellowship: allowing Research Fellowship for Young Scientists holders (in Japan) to conduct research at overseas universities or research institutions (about six fellows to Germany annually).
  3. Overseas Challenge Program for Young Researchers: allowing Ph.D. course students to go overseas for three months to a year to challenge new research environments.

Chat Availability
9:00–13:00 CET / 16:00-20:00 JST

National Contact Point for Horizon Europe in Japan (EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation)

Profile】
The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation was financed by European Commision DG GROW and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI) and manages various services all designed to help bring European and Japanese businesses together. In the Science and Technology and Innovation Promotion servic of the EU-Japan Centre, we were officially nominated by Japanese government as National Contact Point (NCP)  Japan to promote Horizon Europe Programme to potential Japanese resesarchers and related people in their organizations. NCP Japan provides basic information, guidelines, events, reference documents in Japanese to support Japanese reserchers, govenment officials, and people from industries who are engaged in Horizon Europe programme.

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
In the Horizon Europe Programme, there are fellowship programmes supported by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)  and European Research Council (ERC).

In MSCA, there are sub-programme to support postdoctor (obtained PhD) researchers around the world to research in Europe called MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship European Fellowship.

In ERC, ERC is type funds of support investigator-driven frontier research across all fields, based on scientific excellence. Minimun requirements of the resesarchers can be different depending on 4 types of ERC grants and in all cases Japanese researchers currently based in Japan are eligible for funds if they are selected.

In both cases it funds researchers of any nationality and age, to run projects based across Europe and it will be a great opoprtunities for researchers currently in Japan to research in Europe.

This is a program run by ERC and EC. NCP Japan is to introduce these programmes to resesarchers based in Japan.

Chat Availability
9:00–12:00 CET / 16:00-19:00 JST

Organizer

DWIH Tokyo

Profile】
Stay up to date about open calls, Japanese-German research collaboration and meet experts from Germany at our numerous events in Japan!
DWIH Tokyo (Deutsches Wissenschafts- und Innovationshaus Tokyo) is a platform for German research and innovation in Japan. With its unique network of German organizations from science, research and innovation, it holds numerous events throughout the year, connecting stakeholders from Japan and Germany. DWIH Tokyo is part of a global network of six German Centres for Research and Innovation. Since its establishment in 2010, it has been supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and it is currently managed by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Interested in joining our events?
Register here for our newsletter:  www.dwih-tokyo.org/newsletter

Opportunities for early career researchers from Japan】
DWIH Tokyo is the main organizer of the German Research Fair. We would be happy if you use this opportunity to get in touch with many research institutions and funding organisations from Germany!
It would be great to see you at one of our other events – virtual or on-site in Japan – as well. To receive our invitations, please register for our newsletter (www.dwih-tokyo.org/newsletter).
More information: www.dwih-tokyo.org

Chat Availability
9:00–14:00 CET / 16:00-21:00 JST

 

Timetable of Online Seminars

Institutions   Time of the webinar CET/JST
Heidelberg University Presentation materials 09:15 – 09:45 / 16:15 – 16:45
2 Freie Universität Berlin 09:30 – 10:00 / 16:30 – 17:00
3 Universität Hamburg (MIN Faculty) Video 09:45 – 10:15 / 16:45 – 17:15
4 University of Bonn 10:00 – 10:30 / 17:00 – 17:30
5 Leibniz Association 10:15 – 10:45 / 17:15 – 17:45
6 JSPS Bonn Office Presentation materials (in Japanese) 10:30 – 11:00 / 17:30 – 18:00
7 University of Bonn: Cluster of Excellence „ImmunoSensation 2“ 10:45 – 11:15 / 17:45 – 18:15
8 Horizon Europe Video (in Japanese) 11:00 – 11:30 / 18:00 – 18:30
9 Ruhr Universität Bochum Video 11:15 – 11:45 / 18:15 – 18:45
10 Max Planck Society 11:30 – 12:00 / 18:30 – 19:00
11 DAAD Tokyo
DFG Office Japan
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Video (in Japanese) 12:00 – 13:00 / 19:00 – 20:00
12 German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence Video 13:00 – 13:30 / 20:00 – 20:30
13 Universität Hamburg 13:30 – 14:00 / 20:30 – 21:00

 

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How to obtain your PhD in Germany

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