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| Diversity of Institutions: The German Science System
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Wild Jungle or Lush Garden?
It’s a given that the German research landscape is not exactly easy to understand. Traditionally, colleges and universities form the backbone of the German research system, and it’s an old tradition. The oldest German university, in the town of Heidelberg, was founded in 1386.
In relation to the total expenditure for research and development, colleges are the second most important sector after industry. The research spectrum at these institutions ranges from basic research to application-oriented studies all the way to the development of new materials, methods, systems and services as well as their improvement. Working alongside these colleges are many large scientific organizations involved in many different areas of research. They are overwhelmingly financed by the Berlin government or the federal states.
Off the beaten Path - Basic Research at the Max Planck Society
Germany’s most important research institution is the Max Planck Society (MPS), which is responsible for basic research. The name “Max Planck” stands for original and quality research—slightly off the beaten path. The Max Planck Society supports around 80 research centers through the German Republic and the federal government and the states are each responsible for one half of its operating expenses, around one billion euro a year. But the state definitely gets something for its money – for example 16 Nobel Prize winners since 1954, of those eleven since 1984. In 1995 two MPS researchers had the honor of claiming the coveted award in Stockholm. Part of the secret of the Max Planck Society’s success is the “unconditional basic funding” it enjoys. This funding system allows the Society to remain autonomous and decide on its own what research fields hold promise for the future. By focusing on these, the Society attracts some of the world’s best scientists.
Roll-up Displays, Microchip-embedded Clothing, and of course, MP3 - the Fraunhofer Society
At the Fraunhofer Society (FhS), the focus is on real life, or as they say in scientific circles, applied research. The most recent and well known idea to come out of the FhS is the popular the MP3 format, and without the Fraunhofer Society music swap sites couldn’t exist. The Society itself is named after the Munich inventor Joseph von Fraunhofer and it is the umbrella organization for around 80 research centers, which also conduct research for industry, for the service sector and for the federal government as well as the states and municipalities around Germany. The Fraunhofer researchers have to raise about two thirds of their annual budget of a billion euro themselves by working with the industry and publicly financed research projects. And the German government provides the rest and therefore can select their research fields themselves.
Researching the Future, from Health to Space Exploration - the Helmholtz Association
The Helmholtz Association is the giant among German research centers when it comes to fields of research and funding. It costs 2.3 billion euro to run the its 15 institutions. These centers run the “big machines,” such as particle accelerators and research reactors. They are used by international, as well as national research teams. Every year, about 7,000 visiting scientists come from all over the world to the Helmholtz Centres. And it pays off. Around 700 million euro are raised every year, which means the public treasury only has to provide around 1.6 billion euro to run these big machines. 90 percent of that comes from the federal level and the other 10 per cent from the states. In the future, resources will be oriented more toward programs and program budgets. Cooperation and competition between the centers should boost efficiency and lower costs.
The Leibniz Association - in the Service of the Federal Government and the States.
The philosopher and mathematician Gottfriend Wilhelm Freiherr von Leibniz is widely regarded as one of the last universal scholars of recent times, and he has lent his name to this scientific association which currently counts over 80 research institutions as members. The federal government and the states give a third of the 1.1 billion euro annually needed to support it, but not without self-interest. Because the association’s institutes work on forward-looking questions with national significance and economic importance. The Leibniz Association plays an especially important role in the “new” federal states, those which used to make up the former East Germany. The 36 institutes between Rostock and Dresden play a key role in the economic revitalization of eastern Germany.
Apart from that there are several science academies and the federal government runs a further more than 50 of its own research institutes, which conduct specialized research projects. In addition, the Federal states also promote certain research and development institutes within alomst 200 municipalities. All this research infrastructure amounts to a colorful spectrum and one that is not always easy to grasp at first.
And, it must be said, the heart of German research lies not so much in Berlin; rather it has remained in Bonn, the old federal capital. The federal Ministry of Education and Research, as well as many of the other scientific organizations still call this tranquil city on the Rhein home.
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| Further Information
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The Federal Ministry for Education and Research has put together a 'research map' of the German research institutes
www.forschungsportal.net/...
Federation-State Commission for Educational Planning and Research Promotion
www.blk-bonn.de
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