Deep tech needs deep thinking
AI education in Germany is among the best in the world. Three graduate schools funded by the DAAD are translating excellent research into practical applications.
Klaus Lüber,
20.05.2026 
Mohamed Afham wants to teach machines to see. A researcher from Sri Lanka, he is working on “computer vision”: he trains algorithms that translate visual impressions into logical sequences of actions – much like a person instinctively knows which step comes next when cooking. In future, his research could enable applications that support surgeons in the operating theatre, detect tumours or identify wear and tear in machines.
After completing his bachelor’s degree, Afham initially moved to the United States, like many other talented young AI specialists, where he worked at Meta. After a year and a half, he began looking for a master’s programme. Instead of remaining in Silicon Valley, he moved to Germany – to the Technical University of Darmstadt. There, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) supports the ELIZA AI graduate school – a special funding programme run by the German federal government to train top AI talent.
DAAD Zuse Schools: AI graduate schools at Germany’s leading universities
The Konrad Zuse Schools of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence offer master’s and doctoral programmes at numerous locations across Germany – including Munich, Dresden and Darmstadt. Like Afham, many highly talented students choose the graduate schools over other options at leading international universities. This is due not only to the quality of the research, but also because of the Schools’ clear practical focus.
Nil Ayday came from Turkey as a master’s student at the relAI Zuse School, based at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Technical University of Munich, which focuses on trustworthy AI. Ayday is now pursuing her doctorate there and is also actively involved as a student representative. She sees the greatest advantage in the Zuse Schools network. The decision to remain in Germany to pursue her doctorate was an easy one: “We’re a large community spanning universities, research groups and different disciplines. That’s an ideal environment for me.”
Tim Langer is doing his doctorate at the SECAI Zuse School, which focuses on improving cooperation between computer hardware and intelligent software systems. At SECAI’s Technical University of Dresden site, he is working on a chip with the aim of drastically reducing the power consumption of AI applications. Alongside his doctorate, he works at one of his professors’ start-ups, which is commercialising the chip.
Research with social responsibility
The Zuse Schools aim to combine AI research with social responsibility. “AI is not a neutral tool,” said Professor Matthias Oechsner, Vice President for Research at TU Darmstadt, at the graduate schools’ annual meeting in autumn 2025. “Deep tech needs deep thinking – research and ethics must go hand in hand.”
Zuse Schools of Excellence in AI
A multimedia story has also been published about Mohamed, Nil and Tim. You can view it here.
For information about the programme and the individual Zuse Schools, see the DAAD website. The DAAD also offers a range of other funding opportunities in the field of AI: www.daad.de/ki
