International climate favors expansion of scientific cooperation between Brazil and Germany
The current international climate, marked by instability in the world order, represents a window of opportunity for Brazil and Germany to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation.
This assessment was made by participants at the opening ceremony of FAPESP Week Germany on March 25th.
The event, held by FAPESP and the German Research Foundation (DFG) from March 25th to 26th at the Free University of Berlin, aims to strengthen ties between researchers from the state of São Paulo and the European country in order to promote research partnerships.
"These aren't only unstable, but also disruptive times, which, on the other hand, open up bright and optimistic prospects for increasing scientific cooperation between the state of São Paulo and Germany," said Günter Ziegler, Rector of the Free University of Berlin and spokesman for the Berlin University Alliance – a consortium made up of the Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, the Technical University of Berlin, and the Charité (a university hospital).
"We all understand how much we can benefit from academic cooperation, the benefits of which are tangible and bring innovation, ideas and solutions, but are also tools for combating populism, falsehoods and disinformation. And as rector of a university, I will defend academic freedom, which is a fundamental right and a key component of democracy as we understand it," he stressed.
In his speech, the President of FAPESP, Marco Antonio Zago, pointed out that scientific and technological cooperation between the state of São Paulo and Germany is strong and has been growing in recent years. In 2021, researchers associated with universities and research institutions in São Paulo published 2,000 articles in partnership with German colleagues, which is double the number recorded six years ago. The average impact was 3.5, and 56% of them were published in scientific journals that are among the 10% with the highest international impact.
"Germany, along with the United States and the United Kingdom, is one of the three most important long-term partners of São Paulo's scientific community. And we're here to expand and strengthen this collaboration, which can take many different forms. We're thinking of small or large bilateral research projects, within academia, which, as always, should include the participation of companies whenever possible," he reflected.
The Secretary General of the DFG, Heide Ahrens, recalled that FAPESP collaborates with various institutions related to scientific research in Germany, such as the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Bavarian Academic Center for Latin America (BAYLAT), the Fraunhofer Society, various universities, and the German House of Science and Innovation (DWIH).
"I'm very happy to welcome the representatives of these partners here today at FAPESP Week Germany. And I'm pleased that we can also welcome researchers in the early stages of their careers. One of the main goals of the DFG is to enable you, who are still at the beginning of your careers, to benefit from the opportunities offered by international cooperation and to gain experience in what we hope will be new international projects," she said.
The Minister-Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy in Germany, Paulo Gustavo Iansen de Sant'Ana, said that Brazilian scientists help to project the country's image and open doors for the government.
"By coming here [to Germany to participate in the event], you're helping us to do our job of promoting Brazil's image and helping the country become a strategic partner for Germany. And the current moment is perfect for strengthening the partnership between the two countries. We have governments, nations, that could benefit and learn a lot from each other, and FAPESP Week Germany is a very important step in that direction," he noted.
Provided by FAPESP