???aural:Bildanfang???© iStock???aural:Bildende???

Brazil has been an important partner for Germany in science and research for more than 40 years. To emphasise the importance of this collaboration, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced the "German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation 2010-2011" in Berlin.

"We can only solve the major challenges of the future by working with international partners," said Federal Minister, Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan at the signing ceremony. "We want to collaborate even more closely with Brazil to address global climate change and to strengthen innovation and growth. In this respect, the exchange of young scientists forms a sound basis for collaboration in science and research. I firmly believe that the German-Brazilian Year of Science, Technology and Innovation will set strong and sustainable incentives for scientific collaboration between our two countries."

The Year of Science will include bilateral higher education programmes and top-rate research projects that focus on innovation, sustainability and technology. Scientific, academic and intermediary organisations from both countries are invited to become official partners and actively shape the Year of Science.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) regularly coordinates International Years of Science with other partner countries, such as Egypt, China and Israel. The Years of Science play a key role in implementing the Federal Government's internationalisation strategy.

More information: http://www.bmbf.de/en/index.php