Czech Republic

Political framework for scientific and technological cooperation

Collaboration between the two countries is based on an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation that was originally concluded on 2 November 1990 between the governments of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic. In addition, a bilateral agreement on cultural cooperation with the Czech Republic has been in force since 30 September 1999. Furthermore, since 23 November 2007 an agreement has been in place between the two governments on the mutual recognition of the equivalence of education certificates at the higher education level.

A basic strategic aim of the research policy of the Czech government is to increase the networking of the academic research sector with industry and international partners, thereby strengthening innovative power and competitiveness. Topic area priorities of the national research programme are: sustainable development, molecular biology, energy research, materials research, information society, security research, mechanical engineering and social sciences. The national innovation policy 2005-2010 links research and development (R&D) with the implementation of these results in new products, technologies and services. The system of research, development and innovation in the Czech Republic is currently undergoing extensive reforms. The Council for Research and Development, an advisory body of the government, has been presenting a comprehensive analysis of the R&D situation annually since 2003.

With an R&D expenditure amounting to 1.53% of its GDP (2009, source: Eurostat) the Czech Republic - together with Slovenia and Estonia - counts among the EU accession countries of the year 2004 with the highest R&D expenditure.

The Czech Republic actively participates in the development of the European Research Area (ERA). Furthermore, it views the use of EU structural funds as an important opportunity for the country to decisively drive ahead research, development and innovation.

Highlights of German-Czech cooperation

The BMBF and the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports are working together as part of the sustainability dialogue. The Czech Republic was represented at the ministerial level at the conference "Sustainable Neighbourhood - from Lisbon to Leipzig through Research" held under the German presidency of the European Council in May 2007. It was here that the sustainability dialogue was initiated. Building on this basis, the "1st German-Czech Conference on Research for Sustainability” was held in Prague in April 2008. At the conference on Research for Sustainability (FONA) held in Berlin in September 2008 the country was also represented at a high-ranking level. The dialogue for sustainability was further intensified in 2009 and pursued in 2010.

In December 2006, the BMBF and the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MSMT) organised a German-Czech workshop on the topic of "Innovation" as part of the annual "Week of research, development and innovations in the Czech republic". Models and instruments for successfully implementing R&D results in products and services were at the centre of the event. In December 2008, the BMBF participated for the second time in the Innovation Week in Prague.

Funding for Cooperation with the Czech Republic

Since 2004, the BMBF has been staging the programme "International Cooperation in Education and Research - Central, Eastern and South Eastern European Region" (regional call for proposals), which provides funding for projects submitted by German scientists with partners from Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of the measures is the joint submission of proposals for the funding programmes of the BMBF, the Seventh Research Framework Programme of the European Union or the programme EUROSTARS. Within the scope of the regional call for proposals, 12 projects with Czech participation have so far been funded and completed. A project on the development of a sustainable infrastructure for tourism areas in low mountain regions categorised as nature conservation areas is currently underway. The funding of "joint research bases" is a specific funding instrument within the regional call for proposals which is designed to strengthen institutional research cooperation. The aim is to bring about joint structures that are shared by German and Central and Eastern European institutes as well as greater networking of research activities. A German-Czech research base on the use of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and therapy of the central nervous system is currently being set up.

Within the scope of the measures for promoting Germany as a key location for innovation in the region of Central, Eastern and South Eastern European, nine projects with the Czech Republic as the target country received or are still receiving funding via four calls for proposals since 2006 (most recently in 2009). Thematically they range from the automotive industry to public transport systems and mechanical engineering through to the development of social-ecological networks. Also embedded in the measures for promoting Germany as a key location for innovation, the BMBF participated in two trade fairs in Brünn in 2009 the International Water Management and Ecological Fair (WATENVI) in May and in the International Engineering Fair (MSV) in September.