ARTICLE: Germany Spends On Science
Government squeezes out some cash for research from a struggling economy
By Jane Burgermeister

Researchers in Germany have cheered news that the government plans to increase spending on the country's leading
scientific research organizations—the Max Planck Society (MPG) and the Leibniz Association—by 3% next year.

The MPG, the country's top basic science research organization, has been awarded a total of €963 million for 2004. The
80 institutes belonging to the Leibniz Association are also set to see their funding rise to €722 million. The Union of
German Science Academies will get €42.9 million.

Frank Stäudner, spokesman of the Leibniz Association, which was formed after German reunification to tap the scientific
potential of research institutes belonging to the former German Democratic Republic, welcomed the extra funding.

“Of course, there is not enough money in the German research system, but no one is complaining after last year's
budget,” he told The Scientist. The increase follows a total lack of extra funds in 2003, which left organizations
reeling.

He said that the extra money would underpin the Leibniz Association's growing reputation in certain subjects, such as
biotechnology. However, Stäudner firmly rejected the idea that the MPG and the Leibniz Association are competing for
research funding.

“There is a combative spirit around, and we have to compete harder for more money and research, but we have strong
research partnerships with the MPG, universities, and other science organizations abroad,” he said.

He noted that the Leibniz Association last month signed an agreement on closer cooperation with France's National
Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). Europe's largest basic science research institution, CNRS had a budget of €2.5
billion and a permanent staff of 26,500 in 2002.

Karin Andrae from the Bund-Länder Commission for Educational Planning and Research Promotion told The Scientist that
the decision to devote more resources to the country's science organizations at a time when the country's economy was
struggling reflected the high priority that German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had given to science and new technology.


“The chancellor believes that Germany needs to gear up its efforts in science to ensure that the country continues to
have a future, and we have done our best to find as many resources as possible,” she said.

In a further boost to research funding, the government recently awarded €1.3 billion to the German Research Association
(DFG) in 2004. The DFG supports individual research projects at the country's universities. Research proposals are
evaluated by a panel of experts.

Links for this article:

Max Planck Society
http://www.mpg.de/english/aboutTheSociety/index.html

Leibniz Association
http://www.wgl.de/

Union of German Science Academies, Campus Germany
http://www.campus-germany.de/english/2.6.266.html

National Centre for Scientific Research
http://www.cnrs.fr/

Bund-Länder Commission for Educational Planning and Research Promotion
http://www.blk-bonn.de

German Research Association
http://www.dfg.de

SOURCE: The Scientist
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20031120/07

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