Minister Bulmahn stresses equal opportunity and responsibility in education and research
The Federal Government of Germany places a high priority on education and research, in which it will increase investments in the coming year, Minister for Education and Research Edelgard Bulmahn has said. The Federal German Government is to orient its efforts in the coming years in relation to five guiding principles: - The most important is "equal opportunity"; - The second, "creativity through greater responsibility", will help to protect the quality of education and research institutions; - The third, "research for people", again makes the individual the focus of the German Government's actions; - With the fourth, "global sustainable growth", the German Government wants to ensure that Germany's products and production processes are suitable for all areas of the world and to ensure that the Earth remains a good home for future generations; - The fifth is "accelerating structural change". Minister Bulmahn emphasised that education and research belong together. "In their interaction, they contribute significantly to management of structural change in our economy, to solution of society's problems and to cultural regeneration," she said. "A knowledge-based economy will be shaped by investments in human capital - in general education and vocational training, in initial training and in lifelong learning." For this reason, the Federal German Government plans to establish, in cooperation with the social partners, a temporary "Education Forum" that will foster the debate about the necessary elements of education in the knowledge society. Minister Bulmahn's statement then covered the following topics in detail: - General education and vocational training / New media / Education Forum; - Attractiveness of higher education institutions; - Institution-based research support; - Strengthening education and research in the new Länder; - The international challenge; - Sustainable growth; - Technological innovation in key areas. The full text of Minister Bulmahn's statement is available on the German Presidency website at: URL: http://cordis.europa.eu/germany/home.html(opens in new window)