In December 2025, Leila Dedial and myself spoke to anthropologist and podcaster Ian M. Cook and to scholar-at-risk Ibrar Mirzai about the Hilde Domin Training Programme (HDTP) we host at the University of Konstanz, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

The Hilde Domin Programme, of which the Training Programme is one part, is a scholar-at-risk programme composed of fellows from across the world, who all had to flee their countries of origin. They now study for their MA degree or write their PhD thesis in Germany, while remaining involved in and committed to their home countries. Many came with their families, others had to leave their loved ones behind …

The Hilde Domin Training Programme is a one-year programme for all fellowship holders, to be studied alongside their degrees. It is composed of two semesters of online webinars and three face-to-face workshops which take place at the University of Konstanz. The goal of the programme is to transmit knowledge that will help our fellows better understand Germany and the EU, to acquire new academic and personal skills, take part in professional coaching events and support them in making informed decisions about their future career.

With Ian and Ibrar, Leila and I also discussed the predicaments that come with being a scholar-at-risk in Germany in regard to issues of integration, mental health, ‘imposter syndrome’ and potential risks deriving from changes in the political landscape in Europe.

You can find this first episode of Ian’s new series “Displacing Universities” on the anthropology platform Allegra Lab and also directly on Soundcloud.