topic Ministry

Exchange between Italy and Germany - "filling the European idea with life"

As such, the Bibliotheca Hertziana is not only the oldest institute of the Max Planck Society, but also the first oriented towards the humanities. Situated in central Rome, in the immediate vicinity of the famous Spanish Steps, the Bibliotheca owes its existence to the generosity of Henriette Hertz, who provided the Palazzo Zuccari - complete with a well-stocked specialist library and an extensive photographic collection - as the seat of the research institute. She wanted to create an institute that was dedicated to "the study of art and culture, from the Renaissance on up, especially in relation to Rome as the nucleus of European culture."

In October 2011, Federal Minister of Education and Research Schavan met with Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini in Rome to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Villa Vigoni, the German-Italian Centre for European Excellence. Both ministers attended a colloquium on migration, integration, and cooperation in a German-Italian dialogue, which was hosted by the Villa Vigoni. Minister Schavan then awarded the Ladislao Mittner prize that the German-Italian University Centre and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) confer upon outstanding Italian scholars. This was the tenth year the prize has been awarded. To watch and hear the speech by Federal Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan at the 10th award ceremony of the Ladislao Mittner Prize click here.
 

Political framework for scientific and technological cooperation

German-Italian intergovernmental consultations take place regularly and also provide a basis for cooperation in the areas of education and research, which is complemented by meetings at the ministerial level.

The Protocol on Cultural Cooperation between Italy and Germany was adopted at the Villa Vigoni in 2002 and concerns agreements in the area of education which are anchored in Article 13 of the cultural agreement signed in Bonn on 8 February 1956. Cooperation in the areas of science and research is not formalized.

Highlights of bilateral cooperation

Federal Minster Schavan speaking with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini at the 25th anniversary of the Villa Vigoni, ©BMBF, 2011The Villa Vigoni German-Italian Centre for European Excellence in Loveno di Menaggio fosters German-Italian relationships in the fields of science, education and culture, taking into account their interaction with the economy, education, society and politics.  The Villa Vigoni falls within the remit of the BMBF on the German side,  whereas Italy's Foreign Ministry is the responsible authority on the Italian side. A reorientation of the Villa Vigoni in November 2008 brought forth the new "Italy and Germany in Europe - Europe in one world" guideline. The Villa Vigoni marked its 20th anniversary with an event held in Berlin on 8 November 2006 celebrating German-Italian cooperation in science and research (Wissenschaft und Forschung für Europa - Herausforderungen für die deutsch-italienische Zusammenarbeit). The event was sponsored by the BMBF together with the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Villa Vigoni. Federal Minister Schavan and her then Italian counterpart Fabio Mussi attended the event.

Federal President Wulff and Italy's President Napolitano paid a visit to the Villa Vigoni on 8 July 2011, where they took part in a meeting of young scientists and working professionals from Germany and Italy to discuss the issue of the future of Europe.

At a meeting in Trieste in November 2008 the two foreign ministers at the time issued a joint Declaration of Intent to set up an Internet platform to promote exchanges between German and Italian youth. Its assignment is to make information available about existing youth organizations and their exchange programmes and to improve the exchange of information among young people and among people working in this field. The contact office for German-Italian youth exchange opened in Rome on 3 February 2011.

The objective of the German-Italian University Centre, which was founded in Rome in 2000 with offices at the DAAD in Bonn and at the University of Trento, is to boost support for the many different collaborative activities involving German and Italian universities and to enhance relations through synergies.

There is also very close cooperation with Italy through the German Historical Institute. The German Historical Institute (GHI) in Rome focuses on Italian and German historical research, with an emphasis on German-Italian relations from the early Middle Ages to the recent past.

Germany and Italy are partners in the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO). Joint projects are carried out under these programmes.

Italy is also involved in the European X-Ray Free-Electron Laser Facility.

The majority of German-Italian projects that are part of the BMBF's funding programmes are multilateral in nature. The focus areas of these projects are in the fields of information and communication technologies, health and medicine.