International Deans’ Course for Southeast Asia 2026

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the Centre for Higher Education (CHE) are jointly organising the International Deans’ Course for Southeast Asia 2026.

This intensive Training Course is part of the DIES programme (Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies), which is jointly coordinated by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) since 2001 and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Programme Contents and Methodology
The key objective of the course is to bring together a group of about 30 newly elected deans, vice deans and heads of departments from universities in the Southeast Asian Region and to prepare them for the challenges of holding a dean’s position in a changing higher education landscape. Issues such as strategic faculty management, financial management, quality assurance and leadership will be key parts of this course. A soft skills training and exchange with German university leaders about higher education reforms will be included as well.

Participants’ Profile

• Up to 30 participants will be selected.
• Participants should be deans, vice-deans aiming at taking over a dean’s position in the future or heads of department. In case that applicants come from specialised, decentralised universities (e.g. University of Natural Sciences, Regional Colleges) applications from newly appointed Vice-Presidents/ -Rectors are also highly welcomed. Participants should be preferably between 40 and 50 years old (+/- 2 years is tolerable).
• Eligible countries are: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.
• Fluency in English is required and mandatory in order to be admitted to the course.
• A gender balance and a good national mix is aimed at, given that qualifications and other criteria are fulfilled.
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Application Requirements and Process
The application includes:

• application form (incl. curriculum vitae)
• letter of motivation (incl. draft of the PAP)
• organisational chart of the institution showing the section where the candidates are working in
• letter of support from the university leadership indicating that the applicant will receive financial support from his/her university
• one additional letter of recommendation e.g. of a DAAD alumni will be appreciated.

Application can be submitted until November 30^th, 2025. For detailed information about this program and application process, please visit this website: DIES International Deans’ Course – IDC | Hochschule Osnabrück.

Website : https://www.daad-vietnam.org/de/2025/11/11/dies-international-deans-course-southeast-asia-2026/#:~:text=The%20course%20brings%20together%20around,rapidly%20changing%20higher%20education%20landscape.