More money for German research, as government discusses hi-tech strategy
Germany's research budget is set to increase again in 2007, as the government prepares to announce a new innovation policy and hi-tech strategy. The government agreed the budget for 2007 on 5 July. The Ministry for Education and Research will have €8.5 billion to spend, an increase of 6.2 per cent from 2006. 'Germany needs, in the future, more outstandingly trained talent. And we need even more targeted research support, which serves to prepare the way for the innovations of the future,' said Research Minister Annette Schavan. 'We will thus support both in 2007. Only through doing this can we hold our own in global competition,' she said. Project funding will increase by 14.4 per cent to €2.62 billion. This rise is partly intended to support the government's new innovation policy, a central element of which is a hi-tech strategy, currently under discussion within the government. The strategy has the objective of improving the transfer of research results into practice. A central element will be bringing science and business closer together. Support for vocational will also grow by around €10 million to €52 million. Particularly talented young people are also set to benefit, with the government promising them around €121 million in 2007. The social sciences and humanities will not be neglected. These disciplines 'render an important contribution to the critical understanding of the present and our possible future actions,' says the ministry. Funding for the social sciences and humanities will increase by 22 per cent in 2007 to €44.3 million.
Countries
Germany