German Research Faces Challenges in Innovation and Security

Bold lead paragraph: Germany's research is often first-class, but it rarely leads to concrete products and services. According to a new report by the Expertenkommission für Forschung und Innovation (EFI), the country's research sector faces significant challenges, particularly in the areas of security-related technologies and innovation. The report highlights the need for increased investment in research and development, as well as better collaboration between civilian and military research institutions.

Key Highlights

Germany's research sector is often first-class, but it rarely leads to concrete products and services.
The country faces significant challenges in the areas of security-related technologies and innovation.
The EFI report highlights the need for increased investment in research and development.
Better collaboration between civilian and military research institutions is necessary.
The report identifies areas such as microelectronics and artificial intelligence as key areas for improvement.
The German government has launched the "Hightech Agenda Deutschland" (HTAD) program to prioritize six future technologies.
The program aims to increase innovation, strengthen the economy, and reduce technological dependencies.

Background

The EFI report, titled "EFI-Gutachten: Wo die deutsche Wissenschaft aufholen muss" (Tagesschau: EFI-Gutachten: Wo die deutsche Wissenschaft aufholen muss), provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of research in Germany. The report highlights the country's strengths in areas such as climate-neutral energy production and mobility, but also identifies significant weaknesses in areas such as microelectronics and artificial intelligence. According to Professor Gerhard Kahmen, wissenschaftlich-technischer Geschäftsführer at the Leibniz-Institut für innovative Mikroelektronik (IHP), "Die Mikroelektronik wurde über Jahrzehnte nicht sehr stark verfolgt, weil man sagte, Mikroelektronik kauft man ein" (IHP: Forschung und Entwicklung). The report also emphasizes the importance of security-related research, citing the example of the Ariane rocket launch, which carried a German-made probe to Jupiter (ESA: Juice Mission). As noted by Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz, "Forschung ist kein Selbstzweck. Forschung muss zu Wertschöpfung, Produktion und Innovation in Deutschland und in Europa führen."

The German government has launched several initiatives to address these challenges, including the "Hightech Agenda Deutschland" (HTAD) program, which prioritizes six future technologies: artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, microelectronics, biotechnology, fusion, and climate-neutral energy production (Bundesregierung: Hightech Agenda Deutschland). The program aims to increase innovation, strengthen the economy, and reduce technological dependencies. As stated by Forschungsministerin Dorothee Bär, "Wir haben in Deutschland eine strikte oder eine starke Trennung zwischen ziviler Forschung und militärischer Forschung. Und hier empfehlen wir, dies eher zusammen zu sehen, Synergien zu nutzen."

Analysis

The EFI report's findings have significant implications for Germany's research sector and the country's economy as a whole. The report's emphasis on the need for increased investment in research and development is echoed by other experts, such as Professor Irene Bertschek, who notes that "Wir haben in Deutschland eine strikte oder eine starke Trennung zwischen ziviler Forschung und militärischer Forschung. Und hier empfehlen wir, dies eher zusammen zu sehen, Synergien zu nutzen" (ZEW: Expertenkommission für Forschung und Innovation). The report's identification of areas such as microelectronics and artificial intelligence as key areas for improvement is also supported by other sources, such as IHS Markit: Microelectronics and McKinsey: Artificial Intelligence.

The German government's "Hightech Agenda Deutschland" program is a significant step towards addressing the challenges identified in the EFI report. The program's focus on prioritizing six future technologies and increasing innovation, strengthening the economy, and reducing technological dependencies is a positive development. However, as noted by Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz, "Forschung ist kein Selbstzweck. Forschung muss zu Wertschöpfung, Produktion und Innovation in Deutschland und in Europa führen." The program's success will depend on the government's ability to implement it effectively and to address the challenges identified in the EFI report.

What's Next

The EFI report's findings and the German government's "Hightech Agenda Deutschland" program are significant developments in the country's research sector. The next steps will be crucial in determining the success of these initiatives. As noted by Forschungsministerin Dorothee Bär, "Wir haben in Deutschland eine strikte oder eine starke Trennung zwischen ziviler Forschung und militärischer Forschung. Und hier empfehlen wir, dies eher zusammen zu sehen, Synergien zu nutzen." The government will need to work closely with research institutions, industry, and other stakeholders to implement the program effectively and to address the challenges identified in the EFI report.

The timeline for the implementation of the "Hightech Agenda Deutschland" program is ambitious, with the government aiming to increase investment in research and development to 3.5% of GDP by 2025 (Bundesregierung: Hightech Agenda Deutschland). The program's success will depend on the government's ability to meet this target and to address the challenges identified in the EFI report. As stated by Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz, "Forschung ist kein Selbstzweck. Forschung muss zu Wertschöpfung, Produktion und Innovation in Deutschland und in Europa führen."