The BMBF's Foresight Process

The BMBF launched a Foresight Process in September 2007 in order to safeguard Germany's long-term innovative capacity as a centre for research and education.

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Globalization and the trend towards a knowledge and service-based society call for new ideas to promote Germany as a world centre for research and production. The far-sighted design and organization of strategic decision-making processes in research and development is crucial to Germany's competitiveness and innovative ability. It is important to identify emerging future developments at an early stage, to interpret them accurately and anticipate them in current research policy.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research therefore launched its Foresight Process in September 2007 with the following objectives: 

1. Identifying new key areas in research and technology 
2. Naming (and determining) areas for cross-cutting activities in the field of research and innovation 
3. Analysing fields of technology and innovation with regard to their potential for strategic partnerships 
4. Determining priority fields of action for research and development

Technology foresight has a long tradition at the BMBF (read more about its background). The BMBF's current Foresight Process is intended to cast an eye on the next 10 to 15 years - and beyond. It aims to facilitate direct personal exchanges between experts at national and international level, based on a combination of new and tried-and-tested Foresight-Methods together with an accompanying monitoring process. This cooperation will significantly extend the information base for decision-makers in the German research community and support the strategic planning of research policy measures.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) are supporting the BMBF in implementing this process.

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  topic Ministry

  Latest developments

  We would like to keep you up to date with the latest developments in the BMBF's Foresight Process. Here you will find, for example, information about events which will be taking place within the framework of the BMBF's Foresight Process over the next few months. The results of the Foresight Process will also be published here in due course.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12823.php)
   
  
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  topic Ministry

  Methods

  The BMBF's Foresight Process will employ a combination of classical foresight methods using additional innovative elements and monitoring methods.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12685.php)
   
  
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  topic Ministry

  Background to the BMBF's Foresight Process

  Technology foresight processes have a long tradition at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. For over 15 years, the BMBF has been initiating processes whose methods are adapted to the current state of the art of technology foresight. Despite the wide variety of approaches employed, the goal remains the same: Identifying future technologies and research areas and supporting the prioritization of German research and technology policy.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12687.php)
   
  
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  topic Ministry

  Foresight documents

  There follows a list of basic publications on foresight processes and methods. They include overviews of foresight activities, introductions and handbooks. You will also find literature on basic concepts and current developments as well as a list of important journals.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12689.php)