Heidelberg Centre South Asia

Visit us in Delhi and Hyderabad. Do not miss this unique opportunity. We look forward to meeting and interacting with you!

Heidelberg University The funding is earmarked for a five-year project in molecular cell biology to investigate the symbiotic relationships between cnidarians such as corals and single-celled algae.

The South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University together the Institute of Social Sciences, the Centre for Multilevel Federalism and the Forum of Federations and the International Association of Centre for Federal Studies organized an international conference on “The value of comparative federalism: the legacy of Ronald L. Watts”The conference took place between November 16-18. The theme of the annual conference was designed as a tribute to the intellectual legacy of Ronald Watts. It commemorated his pioneering work on comparative federalism, which is one of the core aspects of his legacy to federal studies. Mr. Radu Carciumaru, Resident Representative (Heidelberg Centre South Asia) held a presentation on the federalism in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Heidelberg Centre South Asia, South Asia Institute, Indian Institute for Tropical Meteorology, Indian Chest Foundation, both in Pune, and the Health and Demographic Research Center in Vadu, in collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Foundation, organized a workshop on ‘Urbanisation, Climate Change and Health’, part of HCSA series of initiatives and events on Smart Cities. The workshop took place at the German House for Research and Innovation, on October 26. The workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Stephan Lanzinger, Head Science and Technology, the German Embassy. The technical sessions covered a wide range of subjects, such as Air Quality of Indian Mega Cities and Prediction System (Dr. Gufran Beig, Project Director SAFAR, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune), Climate Change and Health - Ongoing efforts at PHFI (Dr. Banalata (Bono) Sen, Advisor, Center for Environmental Health, Public Health Foundation of India) or a comprehensive overview of the GIZ efforts in this field, given by Dr. Winfried Damm (Programme Director, GIZ).The main purpose of the workshop was to initiate and deepen the Indo-German exchange and collaboration in health and pollution. The participants discussed and agreed upon submitting a research proposal either with a German or an European funding agencies in 2017.

On October 25, Professor Dr. Sauerborn (Director, Institute for Public Health, Heidelberg University) gave a keynote lecture on “Air Pollution, Climate Change and Health” within the framework of the Science Circle Lecture. Organized by the German Embassy, the German House for Research and Innovation and the Heidelberg Centre osuth Asia, Science Circle Lecture series consists of talks given by eminent scholars and personalities from Germany. Prof. Sauerborn’s keynote on such a relevant and important topic, particularly for India, enjoyed an overwhelming interest. While covering a broad range of different aspects, Professor Sauerborn focused especially on the still understudied challenges of the indoor air pollution, which kills many more: 4,3million women and children, mainly in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Indo-German Dialogue on Sustainable Water Resource Management, organized by Heidelberg Centre South Asia, TERI University, Technical University Munich, FU Berlin and Indo-German Centre for Sustainability. The workshop’s prime focus was to understand water systems and their management, innovate water treatments, and explore e.g. energy generation possibilities from water. The participants reached the conclusion that there is a need for a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to water resource management.

Annual Conference ‘CityScapes’ HCSA coordinated the panels under the overarching theme of ‘City and Migration’. The panels covered two broad categories analysing politics and society, including such topics as policies, economy, labour migration, security, law and order, skill development, unemployment, political rights and duties (i.e., political integration) etc.; as well as education, citizens’ participation, inclusion/integration vs gentrification/ghettoization, youth and ageing in urban South Asia, etc. The panels consisted of experts from Germany, India as well as other South Asian countries. Over three hundred 300 (2 days) scholars, experts and practitioners from Germany and India, from both public and private sector, discussed on the multifaceted topic of urbanization. Heidelberg University was represented by Prof. Dr. Christiane Brosius, Dr Wolfgang-Peter Zingel Ms Roberta Mandoki and by the Heidelberg alumnus Dr Andreas M. Wüst.

India-EU Dialogue on 'Smart Cities: Mobility, Infrastructure and Energy' organized under the joint umbrella of the European Science, Technology and Innovation Platform in India (EU STI Platform) and the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH), by Heidelberg Centre South Asia (HCSA), BayIND (Bavarian-Indian Centre), School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi), Fraunhofer India and EU STI. The workshop was attended by over 150 participants, representing government agencies, education & research institutions, non-governmental organisations and industry from India and Europe.

Workshop on 'Smart City: Infrastructure & Mobility', organized by HCSA, together with University of Goettingen, School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi), Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and University of Cologne in collaboration with IISER Pune. The workshop was supported by Friedrich Naumann Foundation and attended by over 80 participants, representing government agencies, education & research institutions, non-governmental organisations and industry.

Workshop on 'Smart City: Infrastructure & Mobility', in Kochi, jointly organized by HCSA with BayIND, School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi), GIZ India, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and Fraunhofer India in collaboration with Cochin University of Science and Technology. The workshop was supported by Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The purpose of the workshop was to critically examine the concept of the ‘smart cities’, to add to the visibility of the German scientific landscape, to deepen the collaboration between German and Indian scientific communities and to initiate a dialogue on Smart Cities between scholars, industry representatives and policy makers.

Workshop on 'Smart City: Infrastructure & Mobility', New Town, Kolkata, in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation, School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi), GIZ India and Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, and supported by Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The workshop was attended by over 75 participants, representing government agencies, education & research institutions, non-governmental organisations and industry.

An excellent event, indeed! Look forward to organizing many more as succesful and as meanigful joint endeavours in the year ahead!

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