The International Networking in Science and Technology (INSTec) working group emerged at the end of 2011 from the reorganisation of the North-South working group at RWTH Aachen University, which has been connecting institutes at RWTH Aachen University with various partners in developing and emerging countries (the “Global South”) since 1992.

At the INSTec General Assembly on 3 April 2012, the INSTec Board of Directors was elected and INSTec’s Articles of Association were revised and approved by the members. The board also decided to install an additional advisory board made up of RWTH members with many years of international experience.

On 12 February 2014 the not-for-profit association INSTec e.V., Verein zur Förderung der Internationalen Vernetzung in Wissenschaft & Technik, was registered. Since then numerous events were organised in order to facilitate the establishment of international collaborations in Science & Technology.

INSTec focuses primarily on the initiation, acquisition and coordination of third-party funded projects in the Global South, involving universities, industry partners and NGOs (non-government organisations). Thus, the activities of INSTec complement the general internationalisation strategy of RWTH Aachen University. In a broader sense, INSTec’s activities are focused on international networking for industrial cooperation and technology transfer, research, development and innovation as well as capacity building.