'After the Pandemic? Visions, Roadmaps and Practices'

AGYA Members in front of the Brandenburger Tor

AGYA Annual Conference 2022 in Berlin

After a long period of holding meetings online, AGYA members finally met again in person at the AGYA Annual Conference in Berlin. AGYA members were delighted to come together for joint activities, to discuss ongoing as well as new collaborative AGYA initiatives and research projects, and join high-ranking networking events. To facilitate the participation of all AGYA members, the conference was held in a hybrid format.

AGYA Principal Investigator (PI) Prof. Dr. Verena Lepper warmly welcomed all members, setting a kick-off for an inspiring, mind-stimulating and also joyful conference.
On the first day of the conference, AGYA teambuilding activities laid the foundations to build strong ties in the AGYA family. The joint activities such as a members’ research Bingo and sketch comedy with typical scenarios taken from the life of a scientist, were followed by a fishbowl discussion addressing the conference topic ‚After the Pandemic? Visions, Roadmaps and Practices‘, where AGYA members generated fresh ideas on the future of teaching, research, and academia.

I felt excited and proud like a first grader to become part of the AGYA community. It was a great pleasure to meet my colleagues from many different countries and engage in many inspiring discussions on research across disciplinary boundaries.

Dr. Claudia Böhme, member of the AGYA Steering Committee

Berlin AGYA members take their fellows on a tour through the academic landscape of their city

The excursion started with an artistic performance of verses by AGYA member and literary scholar Dr. Ikram Hili at the colonnades of the Museum Island Berlin. Following the paths of Berlin’s academic history at the example of the Humboldt University of Berlin and its Faculty of Law, in particular, AGYA member Dr. Nahed Samour introduced all AGYA members to the outstanding university landscape of Germany’s capital. As a special take, she emphasised the recent history, when the Berlin University Alliance was founded to collaboratively foster an integrated research environment. Dr. Samour highlighted the parallel to AGYA’s cooperative interdisciplinary approach. AGYA members enjoyed the excursion experiencing the historic and contemporary academic landscape of excellence in the heart of Berlin.

AGYA tackles current challenges and the future of green hydrogen production

Another highlight was the evening event at the Humboldt Festive Hall, including a public panel discussion on green hydrogen and the inauguration of the AGYA members 2020 and 2021 who met their fellow members face to face for the first time. AGYA Co-Presidents Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Hafiez and Dr. Amro Ali opened the festive evening event and welcomed all AGYA members into their ranks. Guest of honour Mr. Michael Dobis, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), who represents Division 211 - Cooperation with Africa and the Middle East, gave his words of welcome and appreciated the choice of the timely topic of the panel discussion. The inspiring panel discussion on ‛Green Hydrogen and Energy Economics in the Arab World and Germany’ brought together high-ranking stakeholders from academia, economics, and politics from Germany, Kuwait and Tunisia. They exchanged on Arab and German perspectives on the hot topic in a lively and thought-provoking discussion.

I have never imagined that I can sit next to a former minister, an academy president or an ambassador in such a convivial atmosphere, and AGYA made it possible for me. AGYA does not only bridge the gap between disciplines but also between policy makers and scientists.

Dr. Olfa Messaoud, member of the AGYA Steering Committee

Networking with high-ranking representatives from Germany and Arab countries

During the conference, President of the BBAW and AGYA Advisory-Board Co-Chair Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Markschies welcomed all AGYA members. It was the first time for many AGYA members to meet Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Markschies in person. He shared an inspiring statement on the history and his vision of academies, with an insightful and detailed consideration of the Berlin-Brandenburg-Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) in Berlin, former Preussische Akademie der Wissenschaften, where AGYA is proud to be hosted.

Another perspective regarding their careers in research and academia as well as on work-life balance was shared with all AGYA members by Prof. Dr. Mohamad Alameddine, Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Sharjah University, U.A.E., in his motivational talk during a dinner event. On the research side, he strongly encouraged the AGYA members to integrate their research results more in the economic and commercial sector. For work-life balance, which is Prof. Dr. Alameddine’s own research focus, his take home message is as strong, as simple: The goal is: act instead of react. Make your own decisions about the time that is available to you.

AGYA was deeply honored to welcome all members and guests to the AGYA Annual Conference June 2022 in Berlin, who together created a mind-stimulating atmosphere of joint approaches to excellent research, leading the way for enhancing and fostering future societal impact.