Global innovation and production processes are involving more and more countries and industrial sectors. About one quarter of the value creation of German exports is due to services purchased abroad. This trend will strengthen in the coming years. The Federal Government’s Strategy for the Internationalization of Education, Science and Research aims to steer the path to that global community of knowledge. More synergies, more coherence, building more bridges – these are Germany’s key objectives to safeguard the competitiveness of the country while helping to find sustainable solutions to major global problems.
The Strategy was developed under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It follows up on the Federal Government’s Internationalization Strategy of 2008 in response to new trends and challenges which have arisen and have significant impact on international collaboration in education, science and research. These trends and challenges include increasing globalization, digitalization, the further development of the European Research Area and the emergence of new global centres of innovation outside of established scientific hubs. Five target areas in particular are at the heart of the Strategy:
- Strengthening excellence through global cooperation
- Developing Germany’s strength in innovation on the international stage
- Developing the international aspects of vocational training and qualifications
- Working with emerging and developing countries to shape the global knowledge society
- Overcoming global challenges together
