From 3rd to 7th July 2025, the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) hosted the Kick-off Meeting for the DAAD-funded project “Geographical Education and Research Innovation: Collaborative Climate Adaptation Strategies in Azerbaijan.” This event marked the official launch of the two-year collaboration between JLU and its Azerbaijani partner institutions: the Institute of Geography at the Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan, Baku State University, and the Azerbaijan Geographical Society.
Over the course of three days, 47 participants, including professors, PhD candidates, students, and NGO representatives from both Germany and Azerbaijan, came together to establish a shared understanding of the project’s objectives, timeline, and activities. The meeting focused on building a co-created framework for cooperation, clarifying roles, and developing coordination mechanisms that will support joint research, curriculum development, and capacity-building efforts throughout the project.
Beyond the academic sessions, the meeting fostered strong personal and intercultural connections among participants, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration. This face-to-face exchange deepened mutual understanding and helped strengthen the long-standing academic partnerships that the project builds upon.
We thank all participants for their active engagement and look forward to a productive and impactful collaboration.
