CFPs: Project-Based Personnel Exchange Programme

The ’Project-based Personnel Exchange Programme’(PPP) is a bilateral research promotion programme which is the result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded in 1998 between the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The programme ’Project-based Personnel Exchange’ envisages, in this connec-tion, financial support for operational mobility only. Particular emphasis is thereby accorded to academic training and specialization of young researchers.

Research collaborations entered into with the intention of initiating major projects, such as the preparation of joint applications meant for submission to any other funding organisation, are highly preferred.

Funding Information

• DAAD allowances for the German project groups
  • Category 1: University professors Scientists with PhD – 1.750 €
  • Category 2: Doctoral students – 1.425 €
• DAAD allowances for the Indian project groups 
  • Category 1: University professors, Scientists with PhD
    • 1-22 days (96€ per day)
    • 23 days–1 month (2.150€ lump sum)
  • Category 2:
    • 1st month
      • 1-20 days (59€ per day)
      • 21 days–1 month (1.300€ lump sum)
    • 2nd month
      • 31-50 days (43 €per day)
• Allowances paid by DST to German project participants during their stay in India:
  • Scientists with PhD and University professors
    • 1-14 days (Rs 4000/- per day as per-diem)
    • 15-30 days (Rs 3000/- per day as per-diem)
  • Doctoral/Post Doctoral students
    • Allowances (fixed) Rs. 75,000 per month paid to German students during their stay in India which includes perdiem and accommodation charges
• DAAD and DST reserves the right to make appropriate changes to the above-mentioned allowances and/or to the accounting procedures in the event of any significant amendments to the legal terms and conditions, or changes in the actual basis of calculation.

Duration

• A project, if jointly approved, shall be funded for a maximum period of two years.
• In case the applicant leaves his/her institution before the expiry of the official validi-ty of the project, its continuity must be safeguarded, for instance through a written confirmation by the grantee institution.
• The project funds from June 2025 onwards will be sanctioned subject to the condi-tion that the budget allocation is available to DAAD and DST through the funding ministries.

Eligible Funding

• The financial support under this scheme is available only to support exchange visits to the partner institution, which are undertaken during the course of the project-related collaboration. These allowances cover all the expenses related to mobility and hospitality.
• Short term stays of scientists and doctoral students are eligible for funding. The maximum duration of stay for scientists is 30 days per visit per year and for doctoral students it is 50 days per visit per year.  The project description must clearly mention the criteria used for selection of the scientist’s/research scholars to be supported.
• Within the validity of the project duration (FY 2025-2026, 2026-2027), a total of 4 visits by the German participants and 4 visits by the Indian participants shall be funded subject to the condition that not more the one visit is permitted during a year for a particular project participant. The funds can be utilised only to support mobility of the project participants officially included in the project document.
• The number and duration of the exchange visits under the project must be balanced in number and days on both sides. The reciprocity of visits under the project has to be strictly ensured from both sides.
• DAAD shall bear the expenses related to international travel (including medical insurance, visa fee, domestic travels) of the members of the German research group to visit their Indian partner institution; and the local hospitality for members of the Indian research group visiting Germany.
• DST, on the other hand, shall bear the expenses related to the international travel related expenses (airfare, medical insurance, visa fees, domestic travel in India and Germany of the Indian research group members visiting Germany and the local hospitality of the German research group members visiting India by granting respective allowances.
• It is understood that the expenses incurred in connection with the project which go beyond the scope of funding provided by DAAD and DST (basic office set-up, procurement of equipment, consumables, documentation, photocopies & printing and personnel costs) will be borne by respective Institutions.

Ineligible Funding

• The following shall not be funded:
  • Projects of the Indo-German Cooperation in Research and Technology that pertain to the same topic, which are already being funded by another mode, and also include personnel exchange
  • Pure skill enhancement projects
  • Bilateral collaboration, which form only a part of an otherwise multilateral collaboration funded through other routes
  • Language courses
  • Individual scholarships
  • Project-related ancillary expenses (computing time, material expenses, documentations, photocopying and printing expenses)
  • Expenses towards setting up basic facilities such as office space and equipment, as well as staff expenses
  • Pure seminar events
  • Conference participations

Targeted Groups

• Scientists/researchers, university professors, post-doctoral researchers and doc-toral students.

Who can apply?

• University professors, scientists/researchers from German and Indian universities and those in permanent positions at research institutes/laboratories are eligible to apply.
• The programme is open to academics in the disciplines of agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine, forestry, engineering, earth sciences, mathematics, theoretical computer science, informatics, medicine, life sciences, health sciences, animal sciences, nutritional medicine, physics, material sciences and chemistry.

For more information, visit DST.