Guidance

UK Science and Technology Network summary: Germany

Updated 1 October 2025

Germany science and technology landscape

The research relationship between Germany and the UK has traditionally been close, with the UK and Germany among each other’s main partners in terms of co-authored publications, university partnerships and research collaboration. UK researchers interested in partnering with German stakeholders can find current opportunities through organisations such as the German Research Foundation (DFG) or the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

German position in 2024, Global Innovation index: 9th

Position of UK in Germany’s international collaboration: 2nd

Key research and development stakeholders

The German research and innovation landscape is characterised by the federal nature of the German state. At federal level, 2 ministries share responsibility for research, innovation and technology.

The Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), led by Minister Dorothee Bär (since May 2025), deals with research, technology and space policy (including the European Framework Programmes).  

The Federal Ministry for Digitisation and State Modernisation (BMDS) led by Minister Dr Karsten Wildberger (since May 2025) covers digital and state modernisation policy, and the Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy (BMWE) covers some aspects of innovation.

The German Research Foundation DFG is the central research funding organisation in Germany. It does not run any research establishments itself but provides financial support for research in higher education and public research institutions using a bottom-up approach. International collaboration is welcomed in all DFG funding programmes.

Germany has over 1,000 publicly funded research institutions. Non-university institutes drive innovation, each playing distinct roles while collaborating closely with universities and often partnering with industry

The Max Planck Society supports basic research, allowing selected scientists to choose their own topics. The Helmholtz Association runs strategic research on life and environmental systems and manages major research infrastructure. The Fraunhofer Society focuses on applied research, with 2 thirds of its funding from third parties. The Leibniz Association conducts knowledge-and-application-oriented basic research and operates libraries and science museums to transfer knowledge to society.

Germany’s 240 public higher education institutions play a key role in the German knowledge economy. The 2024 THE World University Ranking featured 8 German universities in its Top 100 and 49 in total, making Germany one of the most represented countries. The German Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) with their focus on applied learning enjoy a global reputation and provide the skilled engineers and scientists for Germany’s manufacturing sector and industry-driven research. Beyond fostering domestic research and development excellence, Germany also plays a leading role in international research and development programmes, such as Horizon2020  (and Horizon Europe) and the ERC. Both in terms of participation and budget share, Germany leads in Europe.

Research and development intensity: Strong business investment coupled with consistent government support

Germany’s research and development spending has grown continuously and more than doubled in the past 20 years, with the aim of reaching 3.5% of GDP by 2025. In 2021, national Research and development spending amounted to 3.14% (3.16% in 2020) of GDP in Germany, surpassing the 3% EU spending target.

Germany has the highest number of publicly financed research institutions per capita compared to OECD countries, the EU 27, and the UK. Germany leads significantly, followed by OECD and EU 27 averages, while the UK ranks lowest among the 4.

As a particular feature of the German system, domestic industry plays an important role, with private sector research and development accounting for roughly 2 thirds of overall research and development spending. According to the 2021 EU research and development Investment Scoreboard, 12 of the top twenty most active European research and development companies were located in Germany (incl. Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW, Robert Bosch). Traditionally, most of Germany’s private research and development is carried out by the automotive industry, followed by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector. Although large companies contribute most to domestic spending in research and development(2022: €82 billion, +8% from 2021), German SMEs spent about 9% of investments made by the private sector.

Public funding for higher education, research and innovation

Education in Germany is a devolved policy area and responsibility sits within the Länder (German states) who provide the core funding of universities, while the federal level finances specific research programmes and co-funds (together with the states) non-university research organisations.

Since a 2014 amendment of the Basic Law (Article 91b), the Federal Government has been able to provide long term and direct funding to universities, facilitating cooperation for cases of supra-regional importance. Previously federal funding for universities was only possible through temporary programmes, but the Federal Government and the Länder are now able to support collaboration between universities and non-university institutions much more easily and efficiently.

The Pact for Research and Innovation, aiming at improving the competitiveness of German research, was prolonged for a fourth time in 2019. It extends the Government’s commitment (initially agreed in 2011) to increase funding for non-university research organisations by a minimum of 3% annually between 2021 and 2030, long-term planning security.

In line with the Pact, in 2022 the new government committed to clear strengthening of universities with an annual budget increase of 3% (co-financed by the states). In total, more than €7.5 billion was invested in institutional research funding in 2022.

On innovation, each of the Länder has its own regional development agency and specific incentives for tech transfer and start-ups. In recent years, Germany has put a lot of emphasis on forming clusters on federal and state level, uniting universities, industry and non-university research institutes. The Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIN-D, founded in 2019) enjoys a certain degree of autonomy from the Government.

UK-Germany partnership on science, technology and innovation

STN Germany supports UK science policy by engaging German academia, research, government, innovation, and industry, and reporting on Germany’s science and technology landscape. STN fosters bilateral science and technology collaboration in areas of mutual interest between the UK and Germany. STN promotes UK scientific excellence across Germany and informs on developments affecting science, innovation, and the future UK-EU relationship.

STN’s priority areas include UK-German cooperation, climate and energy (hydrogen, batteries, fusion, net zero), critical technologies (AI, quantum, semiconductors, telecoms, space), and research culture including research security.  STN delivers this through stakeholder visits, detailed analysis, and events such as workshops, symposia, and lectures.

STN Germany contacts

Duncan Grindall (Head of STN Germany, Switzerland, Austria – Berlin) duncan.grindall@fcdo.gov.uk

Kate Robinson (STN Officer – Berlin) Kate.Robinson3@fcdo.gov.uk

Heike Hammelehle (STN Officer; Berlin) Heike.Hammelehle@fcdo.gov.uk

Science and Tecnology Network Regional Director for Europe, Russia, Turkey and Israel is also based in Berlin: James Mclaughlin James.Mclaughlin@fcdo.gov.uk