A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research papers funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), utilizing data from the Web of Science (WoS) database as of April 1, 2024. Over the past four decades, DAAD-funded publications have significantly increased, reaching a total of 43,951 papers, with an annual growth rate of 16.67%. Initially modest, the number of publications surged post-2008, peaking in 2019, though a noticeable decline occurred after 2022. These publications span 7,570 journals, with notable contributions from journals like PLOS ONE and Scientific Reports. Key publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley collectively account for a substantial portion of these outputs, underscoring a strategic preference for established outlets to maximize research impact. The study highlights the collaborative nature of DAAD-funded research, with 96% of papers being co-authored. German scholars dominate the authorship landscape, with significant contributions from leading institutions like the University of Rostock and the Technical University of Dresden. Leading the non-German universities benefiting from DAAD funding are the Russian Academy of Sciences and China's Chinese Academy of Sciences. The citation analysis reveals a considerable impact, with an average of 26.9 citations per paper and a total of 1,182,972 citations. International collaborations are prevalent, involving 181 countries, with the United States, China, and England being prominent partners. Research areas span 151 domains, with prominent clusters in chemistry, physics, materials science, and environmental sciences. Top author keywords such as climate change, taxonomy, morphology, phylogeny, cytotoxicity, and nanoparticles illustrate the diversity and specialization across disciplines. This analysis provides valuable insights into the scope, impact, and collaborative dynamics of research supported by DAAD, emphasizing its significant contribution to global academic advancement.