Supporting Exchange

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Homestays: How to host scholarship holders

At DAAD Alumni & Friends, “welcome” isn’t just something we say. Through the homestay programme, our members and other hosts invite international scholarship holders into their homes and share their “Heimat”, that unique sense of belonging to a place which is so precious to Germans. For our hosts, homestays are all about the joy of meeting and getting to know people from other cultures.

The programme is designed to give DAAD scholarship holders from around the world a chance to get to know Germany and the people who live here. Our homestay programme is a unique opportunity to encounter different cultures, from a stroll around town or a walk in the countryside to a whole weekend joining in the life of your host family.  By sharing activities and time together, scholarship holders and hosts alike gain a deeply personal insight into their respective cultures. For current scholarship holders and DAAD alumni, the programme is a chance to forge close contacts through DAAD Alumni & Friends which go on to become lasting friendships.

How to host scholarship holders

We would be delighted to hear from you if you are interested in contributing to our homestay programme. You can reach us by phone (+49 228 882 249) or email at freundeskreis@daad.de.

Offer talks and tours

Everyone loves a chance to see how other people work, whether on the farm, in the city theatre or at the head office of a major corporation. Our members regularly offer tours of their workplaces to share an insight into their working lives, their specialism or region.

First-hand expertise can also transform an excursion or tour into a unique experience, such as seeing a city through the eyes of an architect, visiting an art gallery with an art historian, or examining fossils with a palaeontologist.

How you can contribute

Our Regional Groups are always delighted to hear from people who can offer free talks or tours (or even a combination of the two!).

If you are interested in helping out, get in touch with your local Regional Group or contact us at our Head Office. We will be happy to work with you to find a suitable opportunity and worthwhile context for your talk or tour.

Provide a venue and encourage encounters

Every year we hold receptions to welcome thousands of new DAAD scholarship holders to towns and cities across Germany. The events are an opportunity for newly arrived scholarship holders to meet and network with each other and people from the region.

We also love to welcome DAAD scholarship holders in unique settings, such as marking the new semester with a talk and music in the Dancing Towers in Hamburg, or inviting guests to a reception in a Munich law firm. Our Regional Groups are always on the lookout for prestigious venues for their larger receptions.

» “We have been sponsoring the Munich branch of DAAD Alumni & Friends for many years and we are delighted to host their annual autumn reception. It’s fantastic to see that Germany continues to attract early career academics from abroad, which is something we all benefit from.” «
Dr. Christoph Philipp (P+P Pöllath+Partners)

Host international encounters on your premises

Could you host a reception in your lobby, a conference in your seminar room or an event with classical music in your grounds? We are constantly on the lookout for venues that offer the perfect ambience for our events which range from summer festivals to Christmas parties, discussions and talks at small conferences.

Some of our Regional Groups also run regular monthly “Stammtisch” events where high profile speakers from science, academia and business give talks. These require venues where guests can meet in a relaxed and undisturbed atmosphere.

It’s up to you how much you want to be involved in organising any event. And we are always delighted to receive additional donations such as contributions towards a buffet or complimentary gifts, but this is completely voluntary.

If giving happy moments to DAAD scholarship holders and promoting international exchange appeals to you, please get in touch with our Head Office or your local Regional Group. We would love to discuss our current needs and what you have to offer.