Affiliation to the Federal Foreign Office
For almost 150 years, the German Archaeological Institute has been a research institution (federal institute with partial legal capacity) within the Federal Foreign Office. As a research institution, it has the right of scientific self-administration.
As a partner in cultural and scientific diplomacy, the DAI is a central player in Germany's foreign cultural, educational and scientific policy through its global network. Its work contributes to many areas such as global cultural preservation, the Sustainable Development Goals, economic cooperation and development, feminist and digital foreign policy.
Podiumsdiskussion mit Bundestagsabgeordneten auf der Groundcheck Konferenz im Auswärtigem Amt am 2.6.2022 © DAI // J. Notroff
Science Diplomacy
The DAI has a long tradition of research activities at many research locations. Over the years of cooperation with the relevant research institutions, authorities and ministries, trust has been built up that has survived even difficult periods in the relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the partner countries. In times of stability, both sides benefit from an actively cultivated and lived foreign science policy through the co-production of knowledge, mutual knowledge transfer, international exchange, and much more.
Mitglieder des Unterausschusses Auswärtige Kultur- und Bildungspolitik in Dahschur während einer Delegationsreise nach Ägypten, 2022 © DAI, Kairo // B. Ezzat
Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy
The DAI provides a link to the present, from the scientific to the cultural to the political level, by exploring ancient cultures as the basis of our modern civilisations. Only knowledge of the past leads to a deeper understanding of today's realities and thus to mutual understanding and dialogue between cultures.