On a recent tour of the European country’s universities and research institutes, we met North American academics who were drawn to much more than the apple strudel, wiener schnitzel and fine chocolate.

With Governor General Mary Simon choosing to visit Germany on her first international state visit, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel stepping down after 16 years, Canada has been paying attention to this economic and research powerhouse.

As the fourth largest economy in the world, with the third largest number of Nobel laureates, and over three per cent of GDP invested in research and development annually, Canadians could learn a lot from Germany’s success.

Having Dr. Merkel, a quantum chemist and former physicist, as leader goes a long way to supporting science and curiosity-driven research. The outgoing German chancellor gained a stellar reputation for making decisions based on science when it came to tackling important policy issues such as COVID-19, climate change and artificial intelligence. Germany’s commitment to research and science, however, runs much deeper than the impact of its departing leader. It is woven into the cultural and scientific context of the entire nation.

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