German Academic Exchange Service Alumni Meeting

I would like to thank the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst/the German Academic Exchange Service for inviting me to address the Alumni Meeting today.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge His Excellency Thomas H Meister, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to New Zealand, Dr Christian Bode, the Secretary-General of the German Academic Exchange Service, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, and Professor Martin Faulstich, Chair of the German Advisory Council on the Environment.

Today I will talk about why international research partnerships are important to New Zealand, particularly the New Zealand-German partnership. I will also talk about the history of our research relationship, its status and future.

The Government is focusing its efforts on raising New Zealanders' living standards. Economic development is crucial to achieving this.  Supporting science, innovation and trade is one of the six key policy drivers in our economic plan. The Prime Minister outlined the importance of this link in his statement to Parliament in February.

The research and technology sectors are vital to the New Zealand economy. If we are to increase our exports in the ever-more competitive international marketplace, it is essential New Zealand produces more innovative, high-value products and services.

Currently I am leading a set of reforms to the science system in New Zealand. The goal of these is to create a more strategic and economically-focused science sector.

Working with other countries is vital to New Zealand science, which is why we put significant effort into establishing and strengthening links with nations such as Germany.

By engaging in international partnerships, New Zealand is able to share our knowledge, skills and resources, at the same time as learning from other nations. Being involved in international research efforts accelerates our development and deployment of new technologies. It allows us to pool scientific and technical results with a wider range of scientists. It also gives us access to foreign expertise and research infrastructures. All of this helps us achieve our economic, social and environmental goals.

These benefits have been realised in our partnership with Germany through projects such as INTERCOAST and schemes such as the Julius van Haast Fellowship.  The excellent exchange programmes offered by Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst to New Zealand research students and other international students also provide foundations for building international relationships.

Throughout the world, Germany is recognised and respected as a research powerhouse.  Over six per cent of the world's research output is produced by Germany.  In comparison, New Zealand is a small but efficient contributor to the global knowledge stocks.  Because of our small size, the international partnerships we form are of great importance to us.  In return we provide a high level of expertise in areas such as agriculture, marine and Antarctic research.

Through excellent foresight, New Zealand and Germany formed an unlikely science partnership over 30 years ago, despite language and distance barriers.  In 1977 both countries signed a Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement that still stands.  This agreement has given both New Zealand and German scientists an opportunity to conduct valuable research together, producing results both countries can be proud of.

In 2006, a review of the agreement found that the depth and breadth of research links between New Zealand and Germany were "quite remarkable".  Arising from the review a suite of 14 initiatives was agreed to further strengthen the research relationship.

The agreement is supported by a large number of agencies from both countries, forming a complex network.  Because of this complexity it is vital that the Government continues to support and develop this science partnership.  Both Germany and New Zealand have appointed coordinators to enhance the effectiveness of the STC Agreement.

There are some practical examples of the ways in which this science relationship has thrived.

One of Germany's many successes is the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.  The foundation supports world-class international researchers and provides for extended research stays in Germany.  This develops career-long relationships. 

In 2004 the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, in conjunction with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, created the New Zealand counterpart, the Julius von Haast Fellowship programme.  This prestigious scheme allows distinguished German researchers to spend at least three months over three years working with their New Zealand colleagues, to undertake research of benefit to both countries.

The outcomes from the first four fellowships have recently been reviewed.  The findings are extremely positive and show benefits for all participants and for New Zealand research.

 An excellent example of the outstanding success of this fellowship is joint research carried out by Professor Hamacher of the University of Kaiserslautern and Associate Professor Ehrgott of the University of Auckland on the development of new radiotherapy treatments and radiosurgery.  The result of this research has led to less invasive, less painful and less life-threatening treatments for cancer sufferers and others who require radiotherapy.

The Julius van Haast Fellowship has also contributed to the overall success of the Integrated Coastal Zone and Shelf-Sea Research Graduate School, or INTERCOAST.  The aim of INTERCOAST is to train young scientists to tackle challenges associated with coastal and shelf-sea areas subject to marked global climate changes.  These young scientists work in a wide range of areas, from marine geosciences and marine biology, to social sciences and law.

The principal partners of INTERCOAST are Waikato and Bremen Universities, and the programme has allowed New Zealand to establish a new facility in the Bay of Plenty.  Earlier this year the project was granted 2.4 million euros by the Deutsche Forschungs Gemeinschaft.  I am sure Professor Terry Healy, one of the prime architects of INTERCOAST, will elaborate on this great initiative further in his talk tomorrow.

New Zealand and Germany also work together through the NZ-EU Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, in the priority areas of:

• food, agriculture, fisheries, biotechnology


• information and communication technologies


• health


• environment


• renewable energy.

The Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst has a long and successful history in aiding students to gain valuable international experience, with student exchanges both into and out of New Zealand and Germany.  Since its inception in 1925 almost 1.5 million scholars in Germany and abroad have received Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst funding.  I can personally attest to the importance of overseas experiences in study, having attended the University of Toronto in Canada and University of Cambridge in the UK.   These academic exchanges help to create international links and create world-class scientists and researchers.

In closing, I commend and welcome all students and academics here today and hope you will have an enlightening and educational meeting.  We look forward to continuing a relationship that benefits both of our nations.