This article analyzes and explains Germany's efforts in industry-academia collaboration. This article is the eighth installment of the "Industry-Academia Collaboration Notes" series by Ichiro Nakajima, Special Research Director at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry, published in July 2025. Nakajima specializes in research organization theory, security management, and industrial technology policy, and his previous Industry-Academia Collaboration Notes series has covered themes such as "The Whiff of a Certain Equation," "The Curse of Linear," and "The Distant Night Club."
This column provides detailed analysis of the institutional characteristics, operational systems, and success stories of industry-academia collaboration in Germany. Germany is traditionally one of the countries leading the world in industry-academia collaboration, particularly where collaboration between universities and companies plays an important role in technological innovation in the manufacturing sector. The article specifically introduces the mechanisms of Germany's industry-academia collaboration system, funding mechanisms, government support measures, and cooperative systems between research institutions and companies.
It also covers the relationship between Germany's unique vocational education system (dual system) and industry-academia collaboration, the role of applied research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Society, and practical examples of industry-academia collaboration in advanced technology fields including Industry 4.0. Furthermore, it touches on points where Germany's industry-academia collaboration can serve as a reference for Japan's machinery industry and institutional design innovations that Japan should learn from.
The article concludes that Germany's industry-academia collaboration model provides important insights for Japan's industrial technology policy and R&D strategy formulation, with many elements that should be referenced in policy development toward strengthening international competitiveness, particularly in the machinery industry sector.