The global knowledge and innovation landscape is becoming more Asia-Pacific - What relevance does this have for Germany and Europe?

The Asia-Pacific Research Area comprises about half of the world's population and has been developing with great dynamism for more than 15 years: In many countries, investments in research, development and innovation are increasing, a large number of new universities and research institutions are being established, the number of students and scientists is growing as well as the number of publications or patent applications. The networking of the countries in the region has led to the development of a third important world region of knowledge production besides North America and Europe. Based on the term "European Research Area" (ERA), the BMBF has been monitoring the Asia-Pacific Research Area for more than 10 years. In contrast to Europe's ERA, APRA is not firmly defined and is characterised by common programs and structures. It covers the countries of South, Southeast and East Asia as well as the countries in the Pacific.

The BMBF has been analysing APRA since 2008. In 2018-2021, the analysis was done by using the Performance Monitoring of the Asia-Pacific Research Area (APRA-PM). The 2019 and 2020 reports were published in German via the BMBF's online portal Kooperation International (see below for references). The 2021 report will be published in April and will focus on India, technology transfer in selected APRA countries, scientific and technological activities in China from a regional perspective and the international networking of APRA countries.

The performance monitoring is to be further developed on the basis of previous findings and continued with new emphases. Particular emphasis will be placed on the dynamic development of certain research topics in APRA and on a more intensive study of other key players such as Japan, Korea and selected countries of the ASEAN. In addition, there will be a stronger focus on bilateral cooperation between individual APRA countries and Germany.

Links (only available in German)

1. Die e-Vergabeplattform des Bundes
2. Bericht (2018) Monitoring des Asiatisch-Pazifischen Forschungsraums mit Schwerpunkt China
3. Bericht (2020) Monitoring des Asiatisch-Pazifischen Forschungsraums