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“Israel is a Powerhouse of Science”

Interview with Annette Schavan, Germany’s Minister of Education and Research, on cooperation with the Jewish state
Jewish Voice: Some people complain of a lack of engagement in politics among young people…
Schavan: I’m not convinced that young people are less politically engaged today than earlier generations. Rather, their engagement is often concentrated on what we call the ‘pre-political’ sphere. And in fact, this sphere is important. It is where young people gather experiences, often on a much more international level than was common in my generation. I definitely understand why young people raise critical questions, especially concerning the style of politics.

The art of politics consists first and foremost in focusing on the common good. If young people get the impression that special interests are prevailing over the common good, then they are right to ask critical questions.

“We can learn a lot from Israel about start-ups and how to successfully establish an entrepreneurial culture,” says German Minister of Education and Research, Annette Schavan

Education Policy in Germany

How do you understand your ministry’s mission?
Our central tasks are to improve opportunities for young people and to enhance Germany’s international reputation as an attractive location for research.

In Germany, education is under the remit of the individual states. How does one reach consensus in this framework?
Education policy in Germany is the result of interplay between policy initiatives at the various levels of political decision-making: in municipalities and at the state and federal levels. The dual-streamed education system, for which there is so much interest from abroad, is anchored in federal law.

The schools themselves are primarily under state jurisdiction. So the education infrastructure is the responsibility of local governments. Our most important task for the coming years is the internationalization of our education system. We can achieve this, even in our federal system, as long as all the stakeholders are prepared to accept their shared responsibility for education in all of Germany.

Germany was the international leader in science and research until the mid-1930s. Those days are over. Why is that and how can we change it in the future?
The rupture came in 1933. The tragic human and scientific cost was especially evident in the Kaiser Wilhelm Society and its institutes. Although its president Max Planck intervened personally on their behalf, 20 of the society’s 70 members, eminent scholars all, were dismissed from their posts or forced to emigrate. Many of these scientists later played a decisive role in the creation of the Weizmann Institute of Science, the Hebrew University, and the Technion, thus helping build the new state of Israel.

We need more enthusiasm for science in Germany and Europe. Israel can serve as a model for us in this respect. I am aware of the enthusiasm for scholarly research there, that’s what we’ve been working for. And since Angela Merkel became Chancellor, we have achieved a great deal. We have two priorities. Achieving significant reductions in public debt and budget deficits, while simultaneously continually increasing expenditures for education and research. That is how we can ensure our future prosperity.

 

Cooperation on Science Work

How does German-Israeli cooperation on science work?
German-Israeli cooperation on research and technology has reached unprecedented levels. This is thanks to proven policy instruments and institutions which have become important pillars for our scientific relationship. To give one example, in two years the Minerva Foundation will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It supports German-Israeli cooperation on research using funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Today, scientists at the Max Planck Institutes and the Weizmann Institute are working together on 50 research projects backed by Minerva. There have been Minerva Centers at various Israeli universities and the Weizmann Institute since 1975, all with a particular focus on innovative new fields of research.

The German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development also makes a substantial contribution to the expansion of this work through its funding programs. We have been cooperating with Israel on civilian security research since 2008. This program focuses on issues surrounding national security and on the question of dealing with crisis situations. We also work together in fields that are critically important for our future, like biotechnology and water technology. The sensitive nature of these areas is characteristic of just how close the German-Israeli relationship on the research level is.

Photo Credit: JVG

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