Research profile of Sachsen-Anhalt

The targeted expansion of the scientific location of Sachsen-Anhalt, the professionalization of the knowledge and technology transfer and securing the supply of specialised workers are the guidelines of the Regional Innovation Strategy. As a result, the scientific system is a basis for making an effective contribution to increasing innovation in the state throughout the entire value added chain.

The universities and non-university research facilities of the state form the central scientific infrastructure in Sachsen-Anhalt. The task of the universities is to link teaching, research, further education and the support of the next generation of scientific specialists together. Research at the universities and universities of applied sciences is application-oriented and closely connected with the transfer of technology. In addition, fundamental research is carried out at the universities.

The research of the universities and universities of applied sciences is complemented by nonuniversity research facilities. Specifically, these are the five research facilities of the Leibniz Association (WGL), three Max Planck Institutes (MPI), six Fraunhofer Research Institutions and two Helmholtz Centres (HGF). They are each dedicated to fundamental research or application-oriented research, as per their specific profile. The most important research focuses in Sachsen-Anhalt include:

• Economic sciences and agricultural economics,
• Neurology and neuro-degenerative diseases,
• Systemic environmental research,
• Material sciences and microsystem technology,
• Logistics and mobility,
• Energy research,Health and medical engineering,
• Plant biology and biotechnology,
• Investigation of social change processes, ethnology.

The close cooperations with scientific facilities and the state’s SMEs are outstanding in all sectors. In this way, practical components are always specifically incorporated into research works. Joint research projects ensure an effective and application-oriented transfer of knowledge and technology. Effective cooperations develop pioneering developments through to production line status.