North and South America

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has commissioned the International Bureau (IB) with the scientific and administrative management of its bilateral cooperation with the countries of North, Middle and South America.

The North American research area formed by the USA and Canada is the world’s most important and leading innovation area, although Europe has closed the gap somewhat in recent years. Germany’s cooperation with partners in the USA covers all areas of science and research, and includes a wealth of initiatives as well as several thousand publicly funded stays for researchers and students in the respective partner country each year. A traditionally intense exchange of information also takes place in an enormous multitude of joint or mutually complementary research projects. Activities to promote Germany as a research location are becoming increasingly significant. Cooperation with Canada is long-standing and diverse, and considerable new investments in research and development will make Canada an even more important partner in bilateral and – through EU projects – multilateral cooperation in future.

South and Central America have been important partners to German research and industry for decades. Although the established cooperation with this region was somewhat overshadowed at the beginning of the millennium by the boom in Asia and the refocusing of cooperation programmes towards Eastern Europe, recently initiatives have increasingly been turning to the “old” partners again – in some cases building on previously tried and tested patterns, in some cases also with new activities, instruments and partners. The cooperation with Latin America overseen by the IB continues to centre on Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico; however, other countries such as Colombia are integrated into these activities in individual cases. In addition to bilateral collaboration, bi-regional cooperation between the EU and the regional associations in Latin America in which the IB is involved is also becoming increasingly important.

  • Argentina

    Scientific research and development activities in Argentina are strong. The country’s R&D structure is well-integrated in international collaborations.
    [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1001.php)

  • Brazil

    Brazil is Germany’s most important cooperation partner in Latin America in the area of education and research. The two countries jointly support large-scale environmental and sustainability research projects as well as numerous projects in the areas of biotechnology and health research, to name but a few. In addition, the BMBF supports a wide range of measures for technology transfer.
    [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1002.php)

  • Chile

    Chile’s scientific research and development activities are well developed. The country’s research and development system is successfully integrated in international collaborations, and presented itself accordingly in the previous (6th) EU Framework Programme.
    [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1003.php)

  • Canada

    Among the developed countries, Canada is a significant cooperation partner in the area of education and research. The focus is mainly on biotechnological and medical research, optical technologies/photonics, and nanotechnology. A special effort is made to include young scientists in the bilateral collaboration.
    [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1004.php)

  • Mexico

    Mexico holds a special place in Latin America for Germany due both to Mexico’s regional importance and economic power and to the traditionally close cultural and economic ties between the two countries. The agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (STC) has formed the basis of bilateral cooperation in education, research and technology for decades, and helps to further intensify the good relations. Mexico launched an ambitious programme (PECITI – 2008-2012) in 2008, and hopes to be ranked among the top 20% of the world’s most competitive countries by 2030.
    [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1005.php)

  • USA

    The USA is Germany’s most important scientific and technological cooperation partner among all industrialized countries. A large number of joint initiatives are carried out in all fields of science and research. Every year, several thousand scientists and students from Germany and the USA receive public funding for study visits to the respective partner country. The exchange of information has traditionally been intensive. All in all, an enormous number of science and research projects are carried out jointly or in a way so as to complement each other.
    [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/2529.php)

Contact Persons

  • Dr. Stephanie Splett-Rudolph

    • Head of Unit: America; Senior scientific officer: EULARINET (IncoNet Latin America), Argentina, Colombia
    • Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
    • 53227 Bonn
    • Telefonnummer: +49 228 3821-1430
    • Faxnummer: +49 228 3821-1400
    • E-Mail-Adresse: stephanie.splett@dlr.de

  • Dr. Matthias Frattini

    • Senior scientific officer: Brazil
    • Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
    • 53227 Bonn
    • Telefonnummer: +49 228 3821-1434
    • Faxnummer: +49 228 3821-1400
    • E-Mail-Adresse: matthias.frattini@dlr.de

  • Dr. Barbara Hellebrandt

    • Senior scientific officer: Canada, USA
    • Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
    • 53227 Bonn
    • Telefonnummer: +49 228 3821-1433
    • Faxnummer: +49 228 3821-1400
    • E-Mail-Adresse: barbara.hellebrandt@dlr.de

  • Inge Lamberz de Bayas

    • Senior scientific officer: Chile, Mexico and UEMEXCyT II (Bilat MEX)
    • Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
    • 53227 Bonn
    • Telefonnummer: +49 228 3821-1436
    • Faxnummer: +49 228 3821-1400
    • E-Mail-Adresse: Inge.lamberzdebayas@dlr.de