Top-level research ready for the competition

The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania planned to provide optimum preparation for its candidates for the “Spitzenforschung in den Neuen Bundesländern” [top-level research in the new federal states] competition held by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). They were successful: Three candidates – three winners. In the selection process within the state, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern enlisted IFOK’s consulting services.

After the initial state-wide selection process, six associations were chosen to receive strategic and conceptual support for the further development of their application. A central challenge was combining the researchers’ understandably strong focus on demonstrating their scientific excellence with BMBF’s requirements: These were geared towards modern strategic innovation management through long-term cooperation between science and business – an important element of the federal government’s high-tech strategy for improving eastern Germany’s economic power. The team from IFOK provided a consulting service that combined its broad knowledge of science policy at state and national level with its many years of experience in network management and facilitation. As a result, the associations received support for the further development of their applications though recommendations for concept content and result-oriented discussion in work sessions. IFOK was also the contact for overarching strategic and tactical questions on positioning within the selection process. The results of this intensive preparation could be measured directly: In the final round of the competition at national level, no state was as successful as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. As a result, more than a quarter of BMBF’s total funding will go to the state in the north east of Germany. The process also made the scientists involved realise how important it is to prepare for scientific competitions as early as possible in order to achieve success.