Dr. Schuster's statement regarding current political topics
The EFI, the independent Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, was commissioned in 2006 by the German national government to analyse structures, trends, efficiency and perspectives of the German research and innovation system and to formulate recommendations for its further development. In February this year, the EFI submitted a report on this topic to the government.The Commission of Experts has identified key challenges for Germany as a location for innovation:
1. Make the framework parameters for financing and tax policy more innovation-friendly;
2. Lack of qualified personnel jeopardises the innovation system – continue immediately to upgrade the education system;
3. High-tech strategy (of the national government) mobilises resources -
tap the potential for improvement;
4. Incremental innovations dominate – facilitate radical innovations.
In conjunction with Point 1, the EFI advises here that SMEs are given special priority and support since a dramatic decline can be seen in the development of innovations contributed by small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany.
It remains to be hoped that the national government will transform the recommendations into targeted measures in such a way that they counteract the trends detected in the report.
Dr. Otmar Schuster