Germany

News
German Pedagogic Exchange Service
Bilateral Research Activities Programme
German Academic Exchange Service
Julius von Haast Fellowship Award
Humboldt Research Fellowships

Germany prides itself as one of New Zealand's most significant partners in the field of RS&T. This is due not only to its advanced levels of applied research methods and equipment, but also to the closeness of its well established links with New Zealand. The German-New Zealand S&T Cooperation Agreement, signed in 1977, forms the basis for this relationship. It provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas, skills and techniques, and pooling resources to solve problems of mutual interest. Its objective is to facilitate and encourage "scientific and technological co-operation for peaceful purposes between civilian agencies and organisations in the private and public sectors of each country".

The German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and MoRST are jointly responsible for the programme, each incorporating a travel grant scheme and a co-ordinator position. On the German side, Dr. Gerold Heinrichs holds this position, while Dr. Frank Bruhn is currently his New Zealand counterpart. Their task is to assist in building up bilateral RST collaborations for researchers and tech-based businesses, establish and enhance key relationships within RST and innovation sectors and monitor and report on all significant developments within the RST systems of both countries. To enhance this co-operation, the STC Agreement is due for a Ministerial Review this year. A delegation of representatives of German Research and Funding Institutions visited New Zealand in March 2006, and Minister Steve Maharey visited Germany in May 2007.

See MoRST for further information.

News

2 July 2008: Scientists have developed a simpler way of converting adult stem cells into cells which behave like embryonic stem cells. Read more

25 June 2008: The European Respiratory Society (ERS) will hold its annual congress in Berlin, Germany, from 4 to 8 October. Read more

11 June 2008: German carmakers welcome modified emissions targets. Read more

9 June 2008: Germany's solar energy industry can breathe a sigh of relief: Subsidies are set for smaller cuts than expected, and the sector is set for consolidation many say is the crucial next step in its development. Read more

4 June 2008: New round of climate talks opens in Germany. Read more

19 May 2008: Biodiversity loss costs six percent of world income: report. Read more

19 May 2008: Military European Land-Robot Trial, Hammelburg, Germany. Read more

18 April 2008: Hitachi, EON and Electrabel join forces to test carbon capture. Read more

16 April 2008: A conference on systems biology of mammalian cells (SBMC2008) will take place from 22 to 24 May, in Dresden, Germany. Read more

14 April 2008: Germany allows more stem-cell use. Read more

Older news

Bilateral Research Activities Programme involving Germany

The NZ/FRG Scientific and Technological Co-operation (STC) Agreement Programme is a sub-programme of the ISAT Linkages Fund. It supports the STC Agreement signed in 1977 between the Governments of New Zealand and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to foster closer co-operation in specific areas of science and technology between the two countries.

The call for applications are now open for the bilateral activities in the 2008-09 financial year (i.e. 1 July 2008 - 30 June 2009).

Download the guidelines and application forms.

15 Scholarships available for Teaching Assistants from the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst - PAD (German Pedagogic Exchange Service)

*Application Deadline extended - until 31 March 2008*

German Pedagogic Exchange Service are pleased to advise that they are offering 15 scholarships for 2008/2009 for *New Zealand Teaching Assistants* who may spend 9 months in different German schools between 1 September 2008 and 31 May 2009.

Candidates should primarily be students of German. The scholarship amount is Euro 703 per month and includes a health insurance as well as an accident and liability insurance. Applicants are welcome to indicate their preferred /Bundesland/ (federal state) in Germany.

Application forms and information leaflets can be obtained on the internet via the following links:general overview, detailed information about the programme and special information for New Zealanders

Applications close on 31 March 2008 and please note that three copies of each application is required. Applications should be forwarded to:

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
90-92 Hobson Street
Thorndon
P O Box 1687
Wellington
New Zealand

German Embassy

The link to the German Embassy inWellington is: http://www.wellington.diplo.de/en/Startseite.html. Towards the middle of September 2005, New Zealand will welcome Mr Jörg Zimmermann as the new German Ambassador Designate in Wellington. Mr Zimmermann is currently Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. He visited New Zealand when accompanying Federal President Johannes Rau in 2001 as Head of Department of Foreign Affairs in the Federal President’s Office. Mr Zimmermann replaces Ambassador Mr Erich Riedler.

German Scientific and Technological Co-operation

Germany prides itself as one of New Zealand's most significant partners in the field of RS&T. This is due not only to its advanced levels of applied research methods and equipment, but also to the closeness of its well established links with New Zealand. The German-New Zealand S&T Cooperation Agreement, signed in 1977, forms the basis for this relationship. It provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas, skills and techniques, and pooling resources to solve problems of mutual interest. The German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and MoRST are jointly responsible for the programme, each incorporating a travel grant scheme (see http://www.rsnz.org/funding/isat/) and a co-ordinator position. On the German side, Dr. Gerold Heinrichs holds this position, while Dr. Frank Bruhn is currently his New Zealand counterpart. Their task is to assist in building up bilateral RST collaborations for researchers and tech-based businesses, establish and enhance key relationships within RST and innovation sectors and monitor and report on all significant developments within the RST systems of both countries. To enhance this co-operation, the STC Agreement is due for a Ministerial Review this year. A delegation of representatives of German Research and Funding Institutions will visit New Zealand in March, and Minister Steve Maharey will visit Germany later this year.

Germany and New Zealand

The German Embassy in Wellington reports that the strong S&T relationship between Germany and New Zealand received a fresh boost with the week-long visit of a delegation from Germany in March. The visit by scientists and representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and of funding organizations was part of the Ministerial Review of the existing bilateral STC agreement, which will take Minister of Research, Hon Steve Maharey, to Germany in early 2007. There was a strong focus on nanotechnology, with 6 experts from Germany participating in a two-day bilateral nanotechnology workshop at the MacDiarmid Institute in Wellington. The group also visited Auckland, Massey and Canterbury Universities.Further visits were made to Agresearch, NIWA IRL. In discussions with MoRST, both sides noted that strategic areas would be defined for intensified co-operation over the next few years.
For more on German research, see www.internationales-buero.de/de/2421.php

German Academic Exchange Service

DAAD have announced the call for applications to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship programme "German Regional Studies Winter Course". January - February 2008. Applications for 2007 are now closed.

The program is designed for students and junior faculty with a sound knowledge of German and some background in German Studies who are interested in improving their language skills and understanding of contemporary affairs can apply.

Completed applications must be forwarded via the German Embassy, P O Box 1687, Wellington or to Dr Birgit Giloy, c/o Department of German and Slavonic, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92015, Auckland. Tel. 09-373 7599 ext. 88931.

Julius von Haast Fellowship Award

The New Zealand Government has established the Julius von Haast (JvH) Fellowship Award to complement the programmes of Germany’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Under a JvH Fellowship, German scholars and scientists will be able to undertake research in New Zealand, for a minimum of four weeks per year over a three year period. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation supports this programme and has incorporated the JvH Fellowship into the Humboldt Research awards based on reciprocity for top German researchers. This JvH scheme is funded through New Zealand’s International Science and Technology (ISAT) Linkages Fund, and is administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand. The JvH Fellowship allows internationally recognised German researchers to spend time working collaboratively with their New Zealand colleagues, and to establish, or enhance collaborative research of benefit to both countries. This Fellowship is open to all fields of research including social science, humanities and both traditional and developing sciences. JvH Fellowships will be awarded upon excellence in research, and upon the benefits for New Zealand research, science and technology. The applicant must be a German national with an international reputation as an innovative researcher. The applicant must be currently working within the German research/science sector and have been employed for no less than five years (in total) in public or private German research or academic institutions. A JvH Fellowship will be awarded for three years. New Zealand intends to appoint one new Fellow in each financial year (July to June).

Applications for 2007 are now closed.

Humboldt Research Fellowships

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation offers research fellowships at universities or research institutions in Germany to highly qualified scholars of all nationalities and disciplines who are not resident in Germany. Applicants must have doctorate or equivalent academic qualification and not be older than 40 years of age. The fellowships allow research visits to Germany for periods from 6 to 12 months duration (extensions may be granted up to 24 months) to carry out research projects initiated and proposed by the research fellow. Applications may be submitted to the Humboldt Foundation at any time. For information and application forms see www.humboldt-foundation.de or email select@avh.de.

Link 1 Link 2

The National Research Funding System Scientists in Germany are supported by five kinds of institutions as follows: