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The Federal Foreign Office is increasing the level of expertise in scientific matters at embassies and consulates-general.
The Federal Foreign Office is opening up to German research institutions. In the future, German missions abroad will host visiting staff from the Leibniz Association. Minister of State Cornelia Pieper signed a corresponding cooperation agreement with the Leibniz Association.
The Federal Foreign Office is opening up to German research institutions. In the future, German missions abroad will host visiting staff from the Leibniz Association. This Tuesday (19 February), a cooperation agreement on the secondment of visiting scientific experts to missions abroad was signed with the Leibniz Association.
In this connection Minister of State Cornelia Pieper commented today (19 February) as follows:
“Today’s agreement concerning guest visits by Leibniz Association staff to German embassies and consulates marks the start of a completely new phase in our cooperation with Germany’s research organizations. For the first time, representatives from research institutions will have direct access to German missions abroad.”
The framework agreement, which will start with a two-year pilot phase, makes it possible for senior staff from Leibniz Association institutes to visit work at selected German missions abroad for a period of four to six months. The President of the Leibniz Association, Professor Karl Ulrich Mayer, welcomed the closer cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office:
“The staff of our associated institutes will be able to gain experience abroad that will be useful to us when they return.”
German missions abroad in turn will profit from the specialist expertise of Leibniz Association staff concerning scientific research in Germany and management in this field.
Germany’s consulate-general in Los Angeles will play the role of pioneer. In southern California, world-renowned universities, private research institutions and a broad range of newly established high-tech companies consistently produce technological and scientific research at the highest level. Future visiting staff from the Leibniz Association are to help make even better use of the potential for cooperation with German research institutions in nanotechnology, space research, aerospace technology, energy production and efficiency, material science and media technology. The Leibniz Association represents over 80 research and university institutions as well as museums.