Germany and Israel are strong partners in innovation and research, based on a shared mindset. Research and innovation are important drivers of prosperity and a modern way of life in both countries. Starting in the 1960s, a unique cooperation structure has developed, enabling successful collaboration between researchers from Israel and Germany. The 1973 agreement on science and technology cooperation (STC) provides an important framework for cooperation.
Over the past six decades, Israel and Germany have developed close and successful research cooperation. German-Israeli cooperation is a success story on many levels. Milestones include the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1965 and the start of cooperation in science and technology in 1973.
Both countries consider themselves drivers of innovation and can build on highly developed and differentiated researchscapes for their cooperation. Israel and Germany are united by their shared mindset. Both see the importance of education, research and innovation for ensuring the future viability of their societies, and they recognise that science and business need to cooperate closely to achieve this.
The structure of cooperation is extensive and diverse. Cooperation happens at both the bilateral and the multilateral level, the latter particularly under the umbrella of the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation such as the current Horizon Europe programme. Key elements of bilateral cooperation include interministerial agreements and collaborations between individual research organisations. The central pillars of cooperation are the interministerial cooperation between the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Ministry of Economy and Industry (MOEI) as well as the major programmes funded by the BMBF, which are implemented by foundations and funding organisations.
