The International Alumni Week 2025 is jointly hosted by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and University of Stuttgart (UoS). It brings together international alumni and research alumni of both institutions for an interdisciplinary exchange with each other and with leading researchers from both institutions. The 2025 International Alumni Week will focus on future mobility, production systems, and urban planning. Participants will discuss tomorrow's innovations.

Research alumni from developing, emerging, and industrialized countries are invited to apply. Successful applicants will be paid allowances covering their travel and accommodation expenses. The Alumni Week will be supported by DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA).

The Alumni Week will be embedded in KIT's 200th anniversary celebrations, offering exclusive access to selected events of the KIT Science Week and fostering networking even beyond the Alumni Week. One of the many highlights of the Alumni Week will be the opportunity to connect with experts from the Innovation Campus Future Mobility (ICM) - a pioneering cross-university innovation ecosystem dedicated to the sustainable transformation of the transport sector.

Activities will include keynote lectures, discussion panels, interdisciplinary exchanges, lab tours, and a cultural program. Participants are invited to contribute their expertise to the development and discussion of visionary concepts in an interactive Alumni CoLab. To ensure a dynamic and participant-driven experience, the program will be co-created with attendees to integrate their perspectives and interests.

This unique event seeks to facilitate sustainable scientific transfer of knowledge, strengthen international and interdisciplinary collaboration, and enhance connections of alumni with German research institutions.

Goal and Structure

The 2025 International Alumni Week aims to foster interdisciplinary and international collaboration of researchers from various disciplines and areas of expertise. Based on their wide ranges of competencies, international research alumni will explore various innovation ecosystems, highlight sustainable production processes, urban planning, and the social, technical, and economic innovations needed for a transition towards a more sustainable society.

A key objective is to strategically enhance the research alumni network of KIT and to strengthen international cooperation and knowledge exchange. Participants of the Alumni Week will be encouraged to act as multipliers and to reinforce ties between KIT, the University of Stuttgart, and their home institutions.

Target Group

International research alumni (German citizens cannot be financed from project funds) of KIT and University of Stuttgart, whose work in academia and/or industry covers the areas of sustainability, mobility, and digital transformation and who are interested in interdisciplinary collaboration.
Research alumni are defined as international researchers who have studied or conducted research at one of the participating institutions and have spent at least three months in Germany as part of their academic career.

Formats

• Expert lectures and keynotes
• Lab tours and interactive demonstrations
• Participatory workshops (World Café, BarCamp, CoLabs)
• Open discussions and co-creation sessions
• Cultural networking events

Funding

The "Innovation Ecosystems for a Sustainable and Digitalized Society - International Alumni Week 2025" is supported by DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA).

Who Can Apply?

Participation is open to international research alumni from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) or University of Stuttgart (UoS). Eligible candidates must have studied or conducted research for at least three months at one of these institutions. The participants must work in the areas of sustainability, mobility, and digital transformation in academia and industry and must be interested in interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange.

Selection Criteria

Participants will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Academic excellence: Documented track record in their field, reflecting their career.
• Diversity & inclusion: Diverse disciplinary backgrounds, cultural perspectives, and professional experiences will be considered. Priority will be attached to gender equity and the inclusion of underrepresented groups.
• Impact & knowledge transfer: Participants should benefit from the exchange and share insights within their professional communities.
• Interdisciplinary contribution: Ability to engage in discussions on sustainable mobility and production systems from a cross-disciplinary perspective.
• Motivation & engagement: A strong interest in participation, as reflected by each participant's personal statement on the relevance of the event to their work.

What to Expect?

The Alumni Week will be more than just a networking opportunity - it will be a collaborative space where participants can:

• Take part in interactive sessions, discussions, and networking events in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart.
• Contribute actively to Alumni CoLabs to develop and discuss innovative concepts for the future.
• Gain exclusive access to selected events, such as the KIT Science Week that is part of KIT's 200th anniversary celebrations.
• Share insights with experts from the Innovation Campus Future Mobility (ICM), a pioneering initiative driving sustainable change in mobility and production systems.

Funding & Covered Expenses

With the funds from DAAD and the Federal Foreign Office (AA), the following costs will be covered for selected participants:

• Travel grant: A contribution to covering travel expenses (economy-class flights, visa costs, and airport transfers) depending on the participant's country of residence.
• Accommodation & daily allowance: Hotel accommodation in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart will be pre-arranged. You will be paid a fixed daily allowance to cover incidental costs.
• If necessary, visa fees and travel health Insurance costs may be granted (for citizens of non- EU countries).
• Group transfers: Organized transportation between Karlsruhe and Stuttgart during the Alumni Week.

Important Notes

Participation on all program days is required for reimbursement of costs.
Travel expenses will be reimbursed after the event up to the grant amount allocated in accordance with the DAAD program rules. For reimbursement of costs, the latter have to be documented.
Personal expenses exceeding the daily allowance and costs for local transportation in the participant's home country will not be covered.

We look forward to welcoming you in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart for an inspiring week of collaboration, exchange, and innovation!

If you have any questions, please contact daadinternationalweek∂intl.kit.edu.

Important Files

• Application Form Alumni Week 2025
• Preliminary Program Alumni Week 2025