The 5th Asian-Link Workshop on Natural Products Chemistry was held by the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) in China's Qingdao city on September 18-21.

More than 30 representatives at home and broad attended the workshop, most of whom had ever studied in German or received grants from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

The representatives had an extensive discussion on a range of topics, including utilization of marine bioresources and bioactive substances, marine natural products, and TCM pharmacology, reaching a consensus on further cooperation and exchange.

The DAAD representative, Mr. Ralf Oldenburg, presented the workshop and addressed an overview of DAAD’s funding scheme, scholarship, and Alumni für Alumni project.

The annual meeting on “biodiversity and bioactive natural products of mangrove-derived endophytic fungi and their significance for chemical ecology in marine extreme environment” was also held during the workshop. It is a collaborative project launched in 2009 between German and China.

Founded in1925, DAAD is the largest funding organization in the world supporting the international exchange of students and scholars.