German-Israeli Year of Science 2008

The “German-Israeli Year of Science and Technology”, which was opened in Berlin on 8 April 2008, is aimed at increasing the visibility of the variety and excellence of the bilateral science cooperation between Germany and Israel and at publicising Germany as a research location in Israel.

Logo German-Israeli Year of Science

Special focus was directed on the collaboration between young scientists from the two countries.

The Year of Science provided new impulses: for instance, greater importance was attached to application-oriented research and development cooperation and the Humanities and Social Sciences were strengthened. The establishment of a Minerva Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences was one milestone on this route. Other priorities during the year included medical sciences and security and environmental research.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has also created an annual award for young scientists, the “Award for Research Cooperation and Highest Excellence” (ARCHES), in order to give greater support to young scientists in the context of the German-Israeli cooperation and to improve their prospects. Minerva Stiftung GmbH manages the call for applications and the selection process.

The research relationships also received a lasting momentum through the German-Israeli  annual government consultations held since then. In 2011, the German-Israeli Research Forum was organised for the first time to further intensify collaboration. In the same year, the BMBF and the MOE concluded a government agreement for industry-led research and development, as well as for vocational training.

On the occasion of the Anniversary Year 2015 the International Bureau relaunched its website cogeril.de, which had been set up during the German-Israeli Year of Science 2008. The website is the first point of contact for researchers in both countries interested in this bilateral cooperation. Documentaries and portraits also provide insights into the daily scientific cooperation and the cultural and political bridges built between Germans and Israelis.