Research Institutions
Among the important research institutes in Germany are the specialised faculties at the universities and the research institutes, such as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association, the Leibniz Association and the Max Planck Institute.
.As departmental research (German Ressortforschung) we define the research and development activities of the federal departments and the ministries at state level.
Departmental research is accomplished by subordinate scientific authorities, as well as by awarding research contracts, for example to universities, research institutes e.g. the Leibniz Association or the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The departmental research is a bridge between science, society and politics. Its main task is the scientific policy advice to the ministries.
Collaborative Projects
A collaborative project is a topic (focus), which is elaborated by one or more research institutes (for example, by collaborative research centres). A collaborative project includes several projects or subprojects.