DAAD-OSI Midyear Conference

DAAD-OSI grantees gathered together with DAAD and OSI staff and academic associates at the University of Constance in southern Germany. 

After greeting speeches from Gerhart von Graevenitz, the University’s rector, DAAD representatives, Benedikt Brisch and OSF London’s Audrone Uzieliene, Professor Dr. Winifried Pohlmeyer of the Economics Department gave an opening lecture on the risks of financial markets, a theme of considerable significance in the current economic climate.

The conference continued into Friday with lively and lengthy discussions and analysis on the current research work of all scholars.  Split into several groups by the broad subject areas of politics, economics and law, each scholar had the chance to give a succinct synopsis of their work to date, with some excellent summaries and feedback from the professors leading the group.  Faculty moderators included DAAD-OSI alum, Sergo Mananashvili (Georgia), who conducted a successful group session on legal topics.

OSI’s sessions included information on further opportunities from OSI’s International Higher Educational Support Program, as well as the Human Rights and Governance Grant Program, both based at OSI Budapest.

Scholarship Programs staff would like to thank all DAAD–OSI scholars, both those in the first few months of their scholarship time and those in their second and third years for their active participation in making the event so successful. 

In addition, Scholarship Programs staff extend their congratulations to Benedikt Brisch, who will soon take up the position of DAAD Department Leader for Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus. We wish him the best of luck in his new position and look forward to working closely with Manja Hussner, his successor into 2010.