German science alliance opposes funding cuts to programmes in international university cooperation

The Alliance of Science Organisations, a union of the most important German research organisations, has criticised the announcement by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development that it will gradually discontinue all university cooperation programmes in development cooperation by 2031.

The union claimed it will "weaken Germany's interests" in a position paper published on 01/07/2026.

It said that these federal programmes have enabled German universities, together with partners in countries of the Global South, to strengthen local education and science systems and deepen cooperation with Germany.

"Sustainably established university cooperation with developing and emerging countries explicitly serves Germany's interests in science, business, and foreign policy: it opens…