Germany and the United States increase their cooperation

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Political framework for bilateral cooperation in education and research

Cooperation between Germany and the USA has a decentralized structure - it is organized independently by the research organizations, research institutes and researchers themselves. The intergovernmental Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation signed in February 2010 provides a general framework for cooperative activities. In addition, more than 50 bilateral cooperation agreements have been concluded between individual institutions, which form the basis of a tight-knit network of US-German research projects.
The S&T cooperation agreement that was concluded between the USA and the European Union in 1998 reflects the European dimension of research cooperation including Central and Eastern European countries and creates further opportunities for cooperation.

Key areas of cooperation between Germany and the USA

There are collaborations in all areas of research, science and technology. Bilateral working groups on energy, climate research and health prepared the intensification of cooperation in these areas during Federal Minister Schavan's visit to the USA in February 2010. Furthermore, there are collaborations in the areas of basic physics research as well as environmental and security research.

• Numerous German and American project partners work together in the area of climate research and environmental technology through international research networks. Their work focuses on the complex interactions within the earth's overall system, its climate system (e.g. the El Niño phenomenon) and the ozone layer.
• In the field of regenerative medicine, an agreement between the BMBF and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) was signed in September 2009. The first joint projects started in 2010. The collaboration will be developed and expanded.
• The BMBF and the NSF concluded a cooperation agreement in the field of computational neuroscience in 2009.
• An intergovernmental agreement between the USA and Germany on cooperation in the field of civil security research was concluded in 2009. Funding for initial bilateral projects on the topics of container security and visual analytics started in 2010.
• In the field of vocational training, the German BIBB and the US Department of Education cooperate on internationally competitive qualification standards in the automotive industry, with a special focus on electric car technology and "green" occupations.
• An agreement between the BMBF and the US Department of Energy (DOE) on cooperation in the field of dense plasma physics was signed on July 24, 2001. This is the first agreement based on the interdepartmental agreement that was concluded between the two ministries on February 20, 1998. It provides the international legal basis for research cooperation between the German Heavy Ion Research Centre (GSI) and three national laboratories in the USA: the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). One of the aims of the collaboration is the establishment of the unique laser system PHELIX, which will, in combination with the intensive heavy ion beam available at the GSI, enable completely new types of experiments.
• A further example of the close transatlantic collaboration is the construction and joint use of large-scale research facilities in the USA and Europe. This includes the USA's and Canada's involvement in DESY. Scientists at the Research Centre Jülich are developing an instrument for the world's most powerful spallation neutron source SNS in Oak Ridge, which is currently under construction. In addition, German and US research institutions are cooperating in the construction of IceCube, the neutrino telescope at the South Pole, as well as the radio telescope ALMA in Chile.
•  The German Historical Institute (DHI) in Washington D.C. fosters cooperation between German and American historians.
•  The many exchange programmes for university students and researchers also deserve special mention. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH), the German Research Association (DFG), and the Fulbright Foundation are some of the organizations involved.
• Since 2007, German research and intermediary organizations and universities have been making a joint appearance at the annual MIT European Career Fair in Boston under the heading "Germany - Land of Ideas".

A highlight of bilateral cooperation

An agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the USA on science and technology cooperation was signed on February 10, 2010 by the German Federal Minister of Education and Research, Professor Annette Schavan, the German Ambassador to the USA, Dr. Klaus Scharioth, and US Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg. The purpose of the agreement is to encourage and develop research cooperation between the two countries in strategically important fields of common interest.

Support of collaborations with the USA

The BMBF mainly provides funding for projects in the fields of climate and polar research, health research, security research, and geoscience. In addition, the BMBF division responsible for cooperation with the USA funds workshops and scientist exchanges as well as activities to support young researchers and prepare projects. Advertising the opportunities for studies and research in Germany is becoming increasingly important.

Special activities of the BMBF (specialist Directorates-General) and of the science and intermediary organizations

The German Center for Research and Innovation in New York was opened by Federal Minister Annette Schavan and German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth on February 19, 2010. This Center is to contribute to clearly increasing the visibility of German research and development and to pooling the activities of German research and intermediary organizations, universities, and innovative businesses.