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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 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn