Since 1999, BIGS-DR has educated hundreds of decision-makers for an international career in a development-oriented context. Many of the nearly 500 BIGS-DR Alumni work in research institutes, universities, government agencies, or NGOs. All of them are doing amazing work all over the world in the field of sustainable development.
Approximately three-quarters of our graduates from the Global South returned to take up positions in the Global South in research, teaching, and governance. About 10 percent of our Alumni found professional jobs in international organizations such as the World Bank or the United Nations, while the rest found positions in a development-related context in Germany and other OECD countries. Many of our alumni are still in close touch with ZEF for joint research projects.
- Juggling academic disciplines: Rabia Chaudhry
“Effective and implementable research needs to be interdisciplinary in nature”. Fact sheet Rabia Chaudhry comes from PakistanPhD at ZEF: 2014 – 2019PhD topic: An army with a… Read more: Juggling academic disciplines: Rabia Chaudhry - Pioneering water resources research in Afghanistan: Fazlullah Akhtar
“I was the first Afghan doctoral graduate at ZEF”. Fact sheet Fazlullah Akhtar comes from AfghanistanPhD at ZEF: 2013-2017PhD topic: Water Availability and Demand Analysis in the… Read more: Pioneering water resources research in Afghanistan: Fazlullah Akhtar - Very first batch (1999): Shyamal Chowdhury
“I am proud of the contributions I have been making to research and concrete policies” Fact sheet Q&A with Shyamal What was your motivation for conducting your… Read more: Very first batch (1999): Shyamal Chowdhury - On the fast lane: Hart Nadav Feuer
“ZEF has truly set me up for an interdisciplinary research career and expanded my networks” Fact sheet Q&A with Hart How has the topic of your doctoral… Read more: On the fast lane: Hart Nadav Feuer - Entomologist by passion: Marwa Shumo
“I hope that more women, especially from the Global South, will be able to follow their passion”. Fact sheet Prizes and Awards Q&A with Marwa What was… Read more: Entomologist by passion: Marwa Shumo - Lady in REDD: Tanja Osejo Carrillo
Tanja Osejo Carrillo finished her PhD at ZEF in 2015 in the field of forest economics. After graduation she joined the World Food Programme, where she is… Read more: Lady in REDD: Tanja Osejo Carrillo - Very first batch (1999): Roukayatou Zimmermann
Roukayatou Zimmermann was a researcher of ZEF’s first batch of doctoral students (starting 1999, graduating 2004). Read about her impressive career after graduation. Currently she is working… Read more: Very first batch (1999): Roukayatou Zimmermann - Research with real-life impact: Faisal Abbas
Faisal Abbas finished his PhD at ZEF in 2010. He returned to Germany with an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, and, later on, an SDG Fellowship. He has… Read more: Research with real-life impact: Faisal Abbas - Focusing on gender issues: Dennis Avilés Irahola
Dennis Avilés Irahola obtained her doctoral degree at ZEF in 2005. Subsequently, Dennis worked as a consultant and advisor on local participation and gender inclusion in several… Read more: Focusing on gender issues: Dennis Avilés Irahola - Strengthening Africa’s academic capacity: Emmanuel Derbile
Emmanuel K. Derbile completed his PhD at ZEF in 2010. But even today, his research findings remain relevant. He discovered that people in Northern Ghana use different… Read more: Strengthening Africa’s academic capacity: Emmanuel Derbile - Addressing environmental challenges: Asghar Tahmasebi
Asghar did his PhD at ZEF on ‘Vulnerability to socio-political and climate changes’ (2012). He now works as an Assistant Professor at Kharazmi University in Iran. “My… Read more: Addressing environmental challenges: Asghar Tahmasebi