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EDUCATION & KNOWLEDGE
TOPIC
AMBITIOUS CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH
Science and research are held in high es-
on R&D, even though it only has 1.2 percent
teem in Germany. Over the past few years,
of the world’s population. Between 2010
businesses and the government have con-
and 2013, industrial companies in Ger-
tinually increased their knowledge work
many increased spending on R&D by more
budgets. In 2013 the proportion of the gross
than 22 percent to in excess of 57 billion
domestic product (GDP) spent on research
euros, thus investing more than ever in in-
was 2.84 percent. Internationally this put
novation. Between 2005 and 2015 the Fed-
Germany in the top group of countries that
eral Government increased its spending on
invest more than 2.5 percent of their GDP
education and research by 65 percent. In
in research and development (R&D). In
2015, 15.3 billion euros are earmarked for
2013 in Germany a total of almost 80 bil-
the
lion euros was spent on R&D. Industry ac-
with further growth of 25 percent envis-
counts for around 67 percent of spending
aged by 2017.
education
and
research
budget,
on research, with higher education institutions contributing 18 percent and the state
German academics’ results are highly pre-
15 percent. The European Commission’s
sentable: In the Nature Index Global, which
“Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015” study
evaluates the publication output of re-
places Germany, together with Sweden,
search facilities and higher education insti-
Denmark and Finland, in the top group of
tutions, published in late 2014, Germany
“innovation leaders” in the European Union
achieved top marks in Europe. At the inter-
(EU). On a worldwide level, Germany ac-
national level it is in third place behind the
counts for seven percent of global spending
USA and China.
Germany – a high-tech location
604,600 men and women work
in research and development in
Germany; 360,900 of them are
researchers. In terms of human
resources and spending, the
sectors with the greatest focus
on research are pharmaceuticals,
aerospace, and automotive
construction.
Patents of relevance to global markets in EU countries, per million inhabitants
Denmark
464
459
370
328
EU average
153
Sweden
Finland
Germany
Source: BMBF/Federal Report on Research and Innovation
DIAGRAM