30 years of transatlantic research: anniversary symposium in Ludwigsburg!

30 years of transatlantic research: anniversary symposium in Ludwigsburg!

The 30th German-American Faculty Symposium took place at the Ludwigsburg University of Education from June 16 to 19, 2025. The event was organized in collaboration with the Cato College of Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). Three decades of transatlantic research partnership were celebrated. The central ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary took place on June 18th.

As part of this celebration, Prof. Dawson R. Hancock, Ph.D. with the honorary doctorate Dr. phil. h.c. excellent. This special award recognizes Prof. Hancock's outstanding achievements in empirical educational research, in the evaluation of curricula and educational programs, as well as his commitment to motivation in teaching-learning contexts and in the field of educational leadership.

Honor and recognition

The university senate praised his ongoing commitment to international research collaboration and the promotion of young scientists. The anniversary symposium offered a multifaceted program with topics such as education for sustainable development, artificial intelligence in teacher training and transatlantic research perspectives. These initiatives emphasize the value of university partnerships for scientific exchange and solving global education issues.

In addition, the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to international research projects shows the relevance of such events. The BMBF is participating in the third call for proposals from the Transatlantic Platform for the Humanities and Social Sciences (T-AP) to promote international research alliances. This call aims to address topics such as “Recovery, renewal and resilience in a post-pandemic world”.

Promotion of international research associations

Participation in this research is open to scientists from over 20 countries in North and South America and Europe. Areas of research envisaged include reducing inequality and vulnerability, creating a resilient and sustainable society, and promoting democratic governance and political participation. In addition, the focus should also be on the development of responsible and inclusive digital innovation.

Research alliances must have partners from at least three of the participating countries. The application procedure is a two-stage process and included a deadline of June 14, 2021 for expressions of interest and a deadline of July 12, 2021 for the submission of joint project proposals. If successful, a full application must be submitted to the BMBF. Further information is available on the T-AP page.

International cooperation in education, science and research plays a crucial role in the ability to innovate in Germany and Europe. The BMBF shows how important cooperation is in order to meet global challenges and cope with the increased pressure to innovate and transform. These initiatives underpin the fundamental values ​​of human dignity and democracy, which are at the forefront of international partnerships, especially with regard to cooperation with countries that share the principles mentioned.

In 2022, the BMBF supported international cooperation in education and research with 1.335 billion euros and supported a total of 2,278 international projects. These activities underline the Federal Government's ongoing vigilance towards international cooperation in education, science and research, which is documented in a report every two years.

These initiatives and events demonstrate how important transatlantic partnerships are, both for the scientific community and for society as a whole. The combination of theory and practice that is implemented here is an essential building block for the development of future-oriented educational strategies.

For more information about the symposium and international cooperation in the education system, visit the website Ludwigsburg University of Education, des Federal Ministry of Education and Research as well as the BMBF.