Federal Republic of Education

Germany invites scientists to Geschaft *Denis Zhuikov, STRF.ru

The German Ministry of Education and Research recently launched a campaign under the slogan "Explore in Germany – the Land of Ideas", aimed at attracting foreign scientists to the country. Experts predict the initiative to be a great success and, accordingly, predict the strengthening of Germany's leadership positions in the field of R&D. "We are moving towards becoming a Federal Republic of Education," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in early February, presenting a plan for economic recovery, where the development of science is declared one of the priorities of state policy. The Government of the country has made it clear that no cuts in research funding are expected, at least this year, and a number of research areas, as well as the education sector, will even receive additional funds from the budget.

Germany is the leader among the EU countries both in R&D spending (with an EU average of 1.8 percent of GDP, 2.5 percent of GDP is spent on science in this country) and in the quantity and quality of new developments. Thus, it has already come close enough to the fact that the goals announced at the Lisbon EU Summit – to bring R&D spending to three percent of GDP – have become a reality.

As you know, the bulk of R&D in Germany is carried out in research institutes grouped under the banners of scientific communities – Helmholtz, Fraunhofer, Max Planck and Leibniz, as well as in universities (there are 350 of them in the country, 79 of which are private). German research institutes closely cooperate with universities, large enterprises, political institutions, and authorities, and the activities of scientific communities (or associations) are coordinated by the German Research Society. In some research institutes, employees are mainly engaged in applied developments that have a high implementation potential (according to this principle, for example, institutes of the Fraunhofer Society work). In other scientific institutions, there is a preponderance on the side of fundamental research (as in institutions of the Max Planck and Helmholtz Societies). In accordance with the nature of the research conducted, budgetary funds or money from private investors may prevail in the financing of certain scientific institutions. For example, the costs of research and development in the institutes of the Max Planck Society are covered by more than 80 percent by the federal budget and the budgets of the lands, and Fraunhofer Societies are financed by more than two-thirds by performing work under contracts with industry, and only a third – from the federal budget and the budget of the lands.

According to the latest data from the German Ministry of Education and Research, even with an eye to the crisis, scientific research in most areas will not be curtailed, and budget funding will not be cut at all. Moreover, Berlin even announced the possibility of additional funding for the implementation of new technologies.

Germany lights upThe Germans have long understood that in order for the label "made in Germany" to always be popular and testify to the excellent quality of goods, it is impossible to limit the development of science in any case.

So, back in pre-crisis 2006, the government for the first time in the history of the country (as indicated on the website of the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research of Germany) adopted a comprehensive national strategy for the development of scientific and technical developments called "High Technology Strategy for Germany" and the slogan "Igniting ideas!". According to this document, "all state structures, one way or another related to scientific research and development, should build their work based on new attitudes." In other words, all ministries, state-owned enterprises, banks, etc. should provide all possible support and not cause obstacles (primarily bureaucratic) to either scientists or people implementing new technologies.

In total, the strategy for the development of high technologies in the country identifies four main tasks.

• The first is to identify priority scientific branches, the development of which "contributes to the creation of new jobs and leads to the prosperity of the state." 17 such areas were named in the strategy, including: nano-, bio-, micro- and optical technologies.
• Second: strengthening the interaction between scientists and entrepreneurs. "Cooperation and joint projects will be supported as never before," the German Ministry of Science said in a press release. This also includes the development of the grant system.
• Third: giving new impulses for the fastest implementation of developments. In the course of implementing this task, it is assumed first of all "the development of new financing instruments in the most non–bureaucratic form", and in the future - the implementation of a number of reforms in the tax system. In addition, the strategy also outlines such a goal as improving the financing of new venture projects using bank loans or investor capital.
• Fourth: improving the financing conditions for innovative small and medium-sized businesses.

Three years have passed since the adoption of the strategy, and there are no statistics on its specific results yet. However, judging by the government's statements, it does not intend to refuse or radically change its approach to supporting R&D. Accordingly, this strategy will be relevant in the future.

... analyzes this and thatTo successfully compete in international markets, it is important to rely on knowledge of demand and a clear understanding of what exactly to offer for sale.

Therefore, in the "Strategy for the development of high technologies for Germany" much attention is paid to the need to assess the potential of the innovations being created.

According to the strategy, when developing any technology, scientists together with businessmen should look for answers to the following questions:
- which areas of technology are developing most intensively in the country and in the world;
- can specific scientific research be transformed into innovative products and services;
- does society need this or that technology;
- who will benefit from the introduction of technology, and who will suffer losses;
- does the new technology have ethical and legal limitations;
- what are the prerequisites for technological improvement in a particular sector of the economy?

Such an analysis of innovations, according to the authors of the strategy, should contribute to the creation of a "high-tech society", as well as ensure the development of technologies taking into account both the needs of society as a whole and the needs of individuals. Thus, the analysis of the market demand for technologies seems to be a key tool for interaction between representatives of science, industry, politics and civil society as a whole.

...and is responsible for LisbonAs noted above, of all the EU countries, Germany is perhaps the closest to achieving the ambitious goal announced at the Lisbon Summit in 2000 – to ensure that the EU economy becomes the most competitive and dynamic in the world, an economy truly based on knowledge in 10 years.

As you know, it was supposed to achieve this, including by increasing R&D spending to three percent of GDP.

It is obvious that even in the conditions of the global crisis that has erupted, Germany is striving in every possible way to support the development of science and technology, maintain its leadership position, and still achieve the goals announced in Lisbon. Whether these attempts will be crowned with success is not yet clear, but against the background of the rest of the EU countries and even the neighbors in the so–called European troika - Great Britain and France, the chances of Germany with its 2.5 percent of GDP allocated for R&D look the most convincing.

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru12.03.2009