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| Money for Excellence: Funding and Supporting Research
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Financial Support makes the world go around
The Phoenicians invented money, but why so little of it? That’s a question that scientists all over the world are constantly asking, especially at the start up of a research project. Scientists say there’s always a bit of amazement at the beginning—partly after the realisation that the whole thing is going to cost so much. That applies to Germany’s scholars as well, even though they haven’t really been able to complain for some time now. Because after a period of stagnation in the 90’s, research and teaching are being strongly promoted again in Germany, in every field.
Industry - the motor driving science
Bayer aspirin, the Siemens generator, or naturally the gasoline engine from Daimler—German industry has always played an active role in the country’s research and scientific endeavors. That tradition continues today. Companies provide the money for two-thirds of the research and development carried out in Germany. The remaining third comes from the state, that is, from the federal and state governments. The promotion and funding of research and teaching is a child of Germany’s federal system and education here falls under the aegis of the federal states—not only primary and secondary schools, but universities as well.
Pact for Research and Innovation
In June 2005, the Federal Government and the Länder adopted the "Pact for Research and Innovation”. The initiative increases funding for the major German science and research organizations such as the Hermann von Helmholtz Association of National Research Centres, the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society, the Leibniz Science Association and the German Research Association by 150 million Euro p. a.. It aims to increase cooperation between the research institutions, to develop structured support for young scientists and to promote innovation in research. The joint initiative is part of the Federal Government's Campaign for Innovation and Growth which also includes the promotion of top-class German universities.
Initiative for Excellence
Setting out to find and promote the best in German university research is the declared aim of the "Initiative of Excellence“. In the first round of this nationwide selection process 319 universities, clusters of excellence and graduate schools submitted project outlines to apply for additional funding - 261 proposals were submitted for the second round. In aumtumn 2006, an international and independent jury under the direction of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Science Council published the decisions for the first round. The winners of the second round of funding were announced in October 2007.
1.9 billion Euro will be made available to institutions of higher education within the framework of the Initiative for Excellence, and the Federal Government will contribute 75% of this sum. The money will be used to support young scientists in the form of structured research schools, to strengthen the cooperation of universities with non-university research institutions and industry in specific research disciplines and, lastly, to promote “top-class research" at nine selected universities which are to be recognized as so-called "beacons of science".
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| Further Information
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