Facts about Germany 2015 2015 | Page 111

In 2015 Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier (in the centre) visited the German-Columbian Centre of Excellence, CEMarin pave the way for political understanding, demic structures in southeastern Europe, and that as such crisis prevention and crisis and since 2002 in Afghanistan, for example management can frequently be made poss- through a variety of efforts by German ible. Higher education can thus become a ba- higher education institutions in IT and eco- sis for sustainable development and provide nomics. Academic development work is also people with the necessary expertise for self- underway in central Iraq and Kurdistan Iraq. help by qualifying future decision-makers; and as such impacting directly on society. Transition partnership with countries in the Arab world One result of the numerous crises and conflicts the world has seen in the most recent Furthermore, since 2001 Germany has con- past is that young people are being denied ducted a transition partnership with several education. For this reason, in 2014 the Fed- Arab countries. The idea is to support re- eral Foreign Office, together with the Ger- form efforts at Arab universities through man Academic Exchange Service, launched cooperation projects with German higher the “Leadership for Syria” programme, education ins titutions. Moreover, the nu- which enables over 200 Syrian scholarship merous “Good Governance” programmes holders to study in Germany. Following the aimed at future leaders in crisis regions conflict in the Balkans, much has been worldwide constitute a particularly import- achieved with regard to rebuilding aca- ant field.