Associate Professor of the Department of Ecology Kovrov O.S. received a DAAD grant to conduct research at the Rhine-Westphalian Technical University of Aachen from 1 November to 1 December 2013. The research topics are related to modelling of geotechnical processes in complex arrays of natural slopes and man-made slopes, complex assessment of slope stability under the influence of exogenous factors, forecasting of landslide hazards. During the internship, it is also planned to present the scientific and educational achievements of the State Higher Educational Institution ‘NMU’, establish new business contacts and discuss opportunities for cooperation in the field of research and academic mobility programmes for students, postgraduates and teachers of NMU.