International Cooperation

acatech firmly believes that cross-border thinking and international cooperation are the decisive keys to deal with societal challenges, Germany’s future viability and competitiveness on an international scale.

As the voice for technical sciences both locally and globally, acatech maintains strategic partnerships with scientific and political institutions around the world, and is a member of both the European and the international association of technical science academies. acatech advises policymakers and the general society, provides guidance for policy issues regarding technologies, and coordinates the EU project SAPEA.

Cooperation between academies of technology in Europe and worldwide

acatech is involved in both the European (Euro-CASE) and the global (CAETS) association of academies of technology on global issues.

Euro-CASE – European Council of Academies of Applied Sciences, Technologies, and Engineering

Euro-CASE is an association of national independent academies of technology and science from 23 countries in Europe, of which acatech is a member. With a total of around 6,000 fellows, the organization forms a large interdisciplinary network of experts from science and industry.

Goals, topics and results

Goals

  • Development of solutions to global societal challenges
  • Formulation of evidence-based foundations for political decisions
  • Promotion of transatlantic cooperation

Topics

Results

Euro-CASE Annual Conference 2021, United Kingdom, 25-26 November 2021

The UK Royal Academy of Engineering will host the Euro-CASE Annual Conference in November 2021 on the theme of “Building Back Better”. The thematic focus will be regarding the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving climate neutrality and resilience in Europe by 2050.

The Croatian Academy of Engineering Sciences hosted the 2020 Euro-CASE Annual Conference on “Dealing with the Challenges of the European Energy Transition” virtually in November 2020.

In addition, the Euro-CASE launched an Early Career Professionals Working Group in May 2020. It deals with how young scientists and young professionals can be better integrated into the activities of the academies. The group, which includes acatech member Prof. Dr. Katja Windt, has summarized the findings from surveys of various academies and interviews with young professionals and submitted them to the Board of Directors of Euro-CASE.

The EU-US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, co-hosted annually with the US National Academy of Engineering to promote transatlantic collaboration, has been rescheduled to October 2021 due to the pandemic.  Young engineering scientists from the EU and the USA will discuss ways to make innovative technologies more useful for society in the future.

CAETS – International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences

CAETS is the global association of 31 national academies of technology and science, of which acatech has been a member since 2005. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Wagner, acatech member, was elected to the Board of Directors of CAETS in October 2020 where he contributes to the strategic orientation of the association. With approx. 8,000 fellows, the organization forms a large interdisciplinary network of experts from science and industry.

Goals, topics and results

Goals

  • Development of solutions to address global societal challenges
  • Formulation of evidence-based foundations for political decisions
  • Promotion of technology acceptance in the general society
  • Improving and modernizing engineering education and practice at the international level

Topics

  • Energy and Climate
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Sustainable Development

Results

CAETS Annual Conference 2021, Argentina, Buenos Aires, 20-24 September 2021

The Argentine Academy of Engineering Sciences will host the CAETS Annual Conference in September 2021 on the topic of “The Future of Energy”. The thematic focus will be on renewable energy, but also on the future handling of classic resources.

acatech member Prof. Dr. Ulrich Wagner is a member of the Energy Committee, which will compile a report on decarbonization in 2021 under the leadership of the French Academy of Engineering.

In addition, acatech member Prof. Dr. Frank Behrendt is actively involved in the SDGs working group, which deals intensively with issues of sustainable development and climate change.

The CAETS Annual Meeting 2020 was held as a hybrid event in Seoul in October 2020. The theme was “Engineering a Better World: Smart Society.” Around 400 renowned experts presented and discussed topics such as Hyper-Connected Life, Sustainable Community and Climate Change. They identified country-specific challenges in the development of sustainable societies and developed innovative solutions to existing problems.

Around the same time, the meetings of the Energy Committee and the Diversity & Inclusion working group took place virtually. The CAETS Energy Report 2018, prepared under acatech’s leadership, was proofed and published in July 2020. Coordinated by the Korean Academy of Engineering Sciences. the CAETS Energy Report 2020 is currently being prepared and is expected to be published in the first half of 2021.

Under the leadership of the British and Australian Academies of Engineering Sciences, the CAETS Diversity & Inclusion Working Group is pursuing the goals of encouraging female scientists join the technical and engineering sciences, and bringing more gender and cultural diversity into the technical world. acatech is also involved in this working group and was able, for example, to recruit speakers to participate in the 21st Gender Summit.

SAPEA

Since November 2016, the five European academy associations (Academia Europaea, ALLEA, EASAC, Euro-CASE and FEAM) with more than 100 academies, have been a part of the European Commission’s scientific advisory mechanism for the SAPEA project (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies). The academies compile the available knowledge in reports and develop evidence-based recommendations for political action – interdisciplinary, independent, and according to the best available scientific data. The aim is to incorporate scientific findings more efficiently and at an early stage into the political decision-making process at the European level. The project is funded by Horizon 2020 and coordinated by acatech.

In 2020, a report entitled “A Sustainable Food System for the European Union” was published, which served as a source for the EU “Farm to Fork” strategy. In addition, another report “Biodegradability of Plastics in the open Environment” was published in December, which contributes to the EU plastics strategy.

The academies’ experts are also working on the topic “A Systemic Approach to the Energy Transition in Europe”. The findings will be published in 2021 and will feed into the implementation of the European Green Deal.

SAPEA has also created an overview page of the work of the academies in Europe on the COVID-19 pandemic and established a podcast series to provide information on current scientific topics and policy advice procedures, for example Peter Gluckman, president of the International Network for Government Science Advice, on COVID-19.

Strategic Partnerships

acatech maintains numerous strategic partnerships with sister academies and other organizations worldwide. This international networking enables acatech to collaborate with the most innovative and creative partners, to tap into specific knowledge, and to exchange views on the global challenges that can only be met through international cooperation.

Advancing future tasks together

Numerous institutions around the world are working on similar sustainability plans and anticipating future challenges. Therefore, it makes sense to exchange, compare, question, and learn from each other. With the top industrial nations and the BRICS countries, partnerships have been established with academies of technology worldwide, as well as with other institutions such as foundations, chambers of commerce, embassies, think tanks, associations, and others.

Selection of our sister academies:

Tackling global challenges together

acatech contributes to answering urgent questions of the future through creative, interdisciplinary as well as intercultural cooperation with the most creative partners worldwide.

China

Since 2013, the Chinese Academy of Engineering and acatech have been engaged in a dialog on topics such as the development of digital infrastructures, urban industrial development and smart production, urban planning and mobility concepts, and smart city management services. Representatives from the science, industry and politics of both countries discussed these and other topics at the Sino-German Symposia, which have been held annually since 2013.

Korea

Cooperation with the Korean Academy of Science and Engineering has been intensified, especially since 2017. In 2019, scientists and industry representatives exchanged ideas on the topic of “Industrial AI in the Era of Digitalization” at RWTH Aachen University under the leadership of acatech member Prof. Dr. Thomas Gries. The academies intend to bring together their joint findings from 2017, 2018 and 2020 in a publication in 2021.

United Kingdom

Continuous scientific exchange between the UK and Germany is of great importance in the post-Brexit era. acatech works closely with the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) on a bilateral level as well as in international umbrella organizations. In October 2020, for example, the two academies organized the virtual UK-Germany Energy Systems Symposium – “Accelerating net zero through policy-research collaboration” to give young scientists and young policymakers from both countries the opportunity to discuss the transformation of national energy systems. The symposium has led to the launch of ten collaborative projects, which are financially supported by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and monitored by both national academies. The progress and results of the projects will be presented at a follow-up workshop in December 2021.

Japan

To discuss productivity in the digital age, the Japan Productivity Center in cooperation with acatech, the MÜNCHNER KREIS and the German-Japanese Business Circle are organizing a forum for selected board members of renowned German and Japanese companies. From the discussion of current challenges in Japan and Germany on the topic of productivity, options for action and recommendations for increasing productivity in both countries are to be developed. The partners have agreed to postpone the forum until October 2021.

Thinking about social challenges on a global scale

Climate Change

A sustainable energy transition in the sense of global climate protection can only succeed with international cooperation. Recent developments, such as the European Green Deal or the SDG’s of the United Nations, focus on a global solution to the problem. Since its founding, acatech has been committed to making a significant contribution to global climate protection.

Current news

acatech and the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences organized a seminar in Brussels in 2018 on “Policy options for a reliable European electricity system”.

In cooperation with the UK Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), acatech organized the UK-DE Energy Systems Symposium – “Accelerating net zero through policy-research collaboration” in October 2020.

As early as 2012, acatech pointed out that an efficient financing framework for decarbonization must emerge across Europe. Central to this is the price for CO2 emissions. The steering capacity of the CO2 price was also emphasized by the Euro-CASE Energy Platform, which presented the position paper “Reform Options for the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)” under the leadership of acatech member Prof. Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer. The statement on “sector coupling” from the ESYS project also points to its central importance. In the energy transition, the states must learn from each other and cooperate with each other. This is the concern of the joint initiative of acatech and BDI on “Transformation Paths of Energy Systems in International Perspective.” Delegation trips to the USA and Asia brought representatives from politics, business, science and the media into discussion with international partners.

Digitalization

acatech contributes to harnessing the digital transformation for all areas of life worldwide, in particular to create more prosperity and a better quality of life for citizens.

Current news

In his role as Global Representative and Advisor to the national Industrie 4.0 platform, Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann, Chairman of the acatech Board of Trustees, strengthens the exchange between stakeholders from science, industry and politics.

On the sidelines of the SMATECH fair at a high-level symposium in November 2020, Henning Kagermann, Thomas Hahn (Platform I. 4.0, Siemens), Sung-Cheon Kang (Vice Minister MSS/Korea) and Jeong Dong Lee (Special Advisor to the President of Korea) discussed the current progress of Industrie 4.0 (Germany) and Smart Manufacturing Innovation (Korea) as well as the progress of the jointly launched working groups Standardization, IT Security and Cooperation with Small and Medium Enterprises.

In addition, on November 17, 2020, Henning Kagermann was awarded the prestigious Honda Prize for his innovative strength and commitment to the vision of the fourth industrial revolution.

International Conferences and Events

Our international events offer the opportunity to exchange ideas on various technoscientific topics with worldwide partners, to build networks and to positively shape global challenges.

Announcements

Euro-CASE Annual Conference 2021, United Kingdom, 25-26 November 2021

The Royal Academy of Engineering will host the Euro-CASE Annual Conference in November 2021 on the theme “Building back better”. The thematic focus will be on the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and achieving climate neutrality and resilience in Europe by 2050.

CAETS Annual Conference 2021, Argentina, Buenos Aires, 20-24 September 2021

The Argentine Academy of Engineering Sciences will host the CAETS Annual Conference in September 2021 on the topic of “The Future of Energy”. The thematic focus will be on renewable energies, but also on the future handling of traditionalresources.

German Japanese Business Leaders Forum on Productivity, Munich, 06th October 2021

To discuss productivity in the digital age, the Japan Productivity Center is organizing a forum for selected board members of renowned German and Japanese companies in cooperation with acatech, the MÜNCHNER KREIS and the German-Japanese Business Circle. The discussion about current challenges in Japan and Germany on the topic of productivity is to be used to develop options for action and recommendations for increasing productivity in both countries.

Science and Technology in Society Forum, Japan, Kyoto, 2-5 October 2021

In 2021, the annual forum will focus thematically on how insights from science as well as new technologies can contribute to solving global challenges.

Past events

Euro-CASE Annual Conference 2020, Zagreb, Croatia, November 20, 2020

The Croatian Academy of Science and Engineering (HATZ) hosted the Euro-CASE Annual Conference on “Dealing with the Challenges of the European Energy Transition” online in November 2020. Experts from more than 20 European countries discussed the EU’s energy policy and the impact of the energy transition on the European economy.

Honda Price 2020, November 17, 2020, Japan

Henning Kagermann, Chairman of the acatech Board of Trustees and Global Representative of the Industrie 4.0 platform, accepted the prestigious award for his innovative strength and commitment to the vision of the fourth industrial revolution in a virtual award ceremony on November 17, 2020.

SMATEC 2020, Seoul, Korea, November 17, 2020

As ambassador of the Industrie 4.0 platform, Henning Kagermann takes the latest developments in Industrie 4.0 in Germany beyond national borders. With scientists, representatives of ministries and companies around the globe, he discusses the paths to Industry 4.0, which platform strategies are particularly promising, and how network security, norms and standards, and the legal framework can be shaped. This was also the case on the sidelines of the SMATECH trade fair at a high-level symposium in November 2020. Representatives of Plattform Industrie 4.0, acatech and BMWi discussed the current progress of Industrie 4.0 (Germany) and Smart Manufacturing Innovation (Korea) with representatives of Korean ministries and companies, as well as the progress of the jointly launched working groups on standardization, IT security and cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises.

UK-DE Energy Systems Symposium, virtual event, October 19-23, 2020

To give young scientists and policy makers from Germany and the UK the opportunity to discuss the transformation of national energy systems, acatech and the UK Royal Academy of Engineering organized the virtual UK-Germany Energy Systems Symposium – “Accelerating Net Zero through Policy-research Collaboration” from October 19 to 23, 2020. The symposium was financially supported by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and attended by more than 60 German and British experts. Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn, member of the Board of Trustees of acatech, co-chaired the symposium alongside the Chief Scientific Advisor of the British Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), John Loughhead. Prof. Dr. Dirk Uwe Sauer, Chair of the academy project ESYS, gave country-specific overviews of the current state of the energy transition in his keynote speech.

CAETS Annual Conference 2020, Seoul, Korea, October 12-15, 2020

The CAETS Annual Meeting was held as a hybrid event in Seoul in mid-October 2020. The two-day CAETS Symposium focused on the topic of “Engineering a Better World: Smart Society”. Around 400 renowned experts from all over the world, including acatech member Prof. Dr. Ulrich Wagner, presented papers and held discussions on the specific topics of Hyper-Connected Life, Sustainable Community, Smart Energy Network and Climate Change. They succeeded in analyzing the country-specific challenges in the development of sustainable societies and developing innovative approaches to solving the existing problems.