Mr. William Dugan
Ms. Rosanne Zanetti,
Mr. Greogory Piper,
Ms. Melissa Rapp and
Ms. Rachel Wheeler,

a warm welcome to all students and scholars,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your kind invitation, it is a pleasure to be here. I hope this is only the beginning of a dialogue, a first exchange to be continued here as well as in Germany.

Why do many of you, why would scholars and students learn German? Some do, of course, because they would like to study the beauty and richness of German literature and philosophy and because they like to read classical and contemporary German texts in their original language. That certainely is an excellent reason for learning German.

Obviously many of you do not exactly belong to this category of people. Instead, you are studying math, science and engineering and you aware that today, the best talents *can* and *do* choose to study, work and live wherever they find the best framework conditions. Germany is such a place. And so your choice to study German is a good one: the combination of math, science engineering plus German gives you a competitive edge, an added value in finding more option for a good career.

Let me elaborate a bit:

Math, science - physics, chemistry, biology - and engineering are the key for innovation. And innovation is indispensable in achieving and securing economic growth. It is the only way to ensure that you and others - that the largest possible number of people, that the future generation - gain income and prosperity. And that a country retains its competitive edge on the international stage.

That applies for the US and - to an even greater extend - to Germany. We only have few and limited natural resources. We do not have any significant amount of petro or natural gas. Our petro or natural gas has a different name: it is called innovation based on education, math, science and engineering.

Germany - like the US - is one of the few countries which covers all fields of research and science, all branches of industries ranging from nano-technologies to space research.

Germany is the world's largest exporter of "high-tech" goods, coming ahead even of the US or Japan. This is an important achievement, but not the point. This testifies to Germany's ability to turn research into applicable, practical results. Germany is a country of applied science and German industry is the most innovative in the EU.

A range of German Nobel Prize winners bears proof of the scientific potential of Germany: from 80 German Nobel Prize recipients, 68 were awarded for excellence in science and medicine: 28 for outstanding achievements in chemistry, 24 in physics and 16 for medicine. And as I have just learned Albert Einstein came for a lecture in one of the buildings that is now housing your school today.

All together an impressive record? Perhaps. But not good enough to meet upcoming challenges. Here are just a few challenges that the global village, that we are living in - including high-tech countries like the US and Germany - will be facing:

Limited natural resources: someday oil and gas will run out. But even before they do, the oil and gas producing countries may use their resources as political weapons rather than building trustful interdependent economic relations. Oil and gas may be used as an increased income source by hiking up prices to over 150 $ a barrel, prices we have experienced this summer. The money we put into the gas station for high gasoline prices is money that will not be available in other areas - such as health, pensions or science and research.

Climate change: many of you may have seen the film "An Inconvenient Truth" of Nobel Prize winner Al Gore. It may be a controversial film -   and controversy is part of research - but one result is indisputable: Climate change is real. When countries like The Netherlands seriously consider to take measures to prevent their land, which is partly under sea-level, from being flooded by a rising sea levels, when the President of the Maldives is giving its country less than a century before it will turn into a sand-bank underneath the Ocean - then we know climate change is not virtual, but real. And deserts that exist today are already enlarging due to global warming and are eating up fertile soil.

Drinking water: sea water levels may rise - but sweet water is becoming a scarce resource. Take Kuwait, for example: today nearly 100% of its is potable water and irrigation water is won through desalination plants - which is by the way, a very expensive method. Drinking water may well become a potential source of military conflict: surviving without oil or gas is possible, but survive without water is impossible.

Health care: the average age of the population in industrialized countries is continuously rising. That is good, we all like to live longer - but we also expect to stay healthy. Also independent of age all of us are exposed to diseases and infections that travel around the globe at no time: bacteria and viruses become increasingly immune against medication.

These are just a few challenges. And it has become abundantly clear, that these challenges are not only challenges facing researchers and scientists. These challenges are immensely political. To meet them cross-border cooperation in a global effort is essential.

So what has all that got to do with your school, with your combination of math, science, engineering and above all your studies in German?

Well, Germany has undertaken a number of important initiatives in its research and innovation policy with the goal to turn the country into the most research-friendly country in the world, where research can be made applicable, where research results can be turned into products, processes and services. This and a new energy policy have transformed Germany into the most advanced country in developing and applying renewable energy, solar, wind, biomass and hydropower - a model that President-elect Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton have both publicly referred to in their debates.


Here are some examples of these measures:

In 2006 the German Federal government passed a National Strategy for Innovation and High-Tech policy. In a first step, it made available approx. 15 billion Euros for research in cutting edge technologies. Investments in research and development will increase from 2,5 to 3% of the gross domestic product.

Many degree courses at German universities are being taught in English and are internationally recognized. That should certainely not encourage you to drop German, as German will, of course, remain essential still to succeed in Germany. But Germany now ranks third among host countries for international students. More than 12% of the students at German universities and colleges are international - you certainly would not feel lonely.

An Excellence Initiative increased a nation-wide competition among the countries universities promoting top-level research. It has created attractive conditions and improved career opportunities for highly skilled scientists, has created thousands job opportunities for young scientists and has broken new ground in attracting international talent from around the globe to an academic career in Germany. In fact, Germany has eased restriction on highly qualified students to study in Germany - and the European Blue Card - set to come into effect in spring 2011 - shall attract even more high potentials to Europe.

And here is where you come in: This year Germany has initiated a project called "Schools: Partners of the Future?" for which the German abbreviation is PASCH. Eligible to participating in this project are schools in all countries of the world which offer an excellent curricula, have outstanding students and teachers, and teach German as a foreign language. Your school has been chosen as one of these schools of excellence in a network of 1.000 schools worldwide. I would like to commend you for being such an example of best practice. Becoming a member of the project "Schools: Partners of the Future" will significantly increase your options for an excellent education and career in a globally competitive environment: it enables you to go to where you find the best framework conditions for your studies and career - and Germany is such a place.

In concluding, it is appropriate to say that the times for pursuing a transatlantic research career in Germany and the U.S. have never been better. New opportunities have been created for young researches and scientists from all nationalities. The opportunities are well resourced and funded. The success rate of grant application submitted to the "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft", Germany's central funding agency for science and research, are well above the comparative rates of their US counterparts.

I hope that your school as a member of the project "Schools: Partners of the Future" will reach out to schools, colleges and universities in Germany, that you will visit Germany and that we will find opportunities to have German universities and companies present their experiences and curricula directly to you. We - members of the Consulate, the Goethe Institute, the German Academic Exchange Service and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft will be happy to assist you in promoting your studies in German - an assett that enhances your career options.

Thank you.