East-located universities demonstrate a notable knack for innovation.
In Germany, for every 1000 students, approximately two inventions are given a patent. However, the achievements of the higher education systems in Saxony and Thuringia are noticeably superior. This could be due to the pro-innovation culture at numerous universities in these regions.
A recent report by the Institute of the German Economy (IW Cologne) and reported by Funke media group newspapers, reveals that Saxon and Thuringian universities submitted 5.1 patent applications per 1000 students between 2017 and 2021. This is more than double the national average of 2.0 patent applications per 1000 students.
The national average was followed by Baden-Württemberg (3.2 applications per 1000 students), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (2.9), and Saxony-Anhalt (2.7).
Study author and IW patent expert, Oliver Koppel, stated to Funke newspapers that the increasing presence of foreign inventors is a major contributor to the eastern patent strength. He also mentioned that the role of German researchers is expected to decrease due to demographic factors.
Bergakademie Freiberg leads the way
According to Koppel, the openness towards international collaboration is a key factor in the continued success of eastern universities in the patent arena. With the upcoming state elections in Saxony and Thuringia, he emphasized that the need for further international collaboration is crucial for maintaining current achievements. Between 2017 and 2021, 19.3% of all patent applications in the higher education sector were submitted by foreign inventors.
Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg took the top spot in patent activities, recording 23.6 patent applications per 1000 students. The Medical School Hannover and the Technical University Ilmenau placed second and third, respectively, with 13.6 and 12.5 patent applications per 1000 students. The TU Dresden ranked fourth with 9.5 applications. Bergakademie Freiberg also led in terms of the actual number of inventions patented between 2017 and 2021.
IW expert, Oliver Koppel, attributes the relative strength of eastern universities to their historical emphasis on technical and natural sciences. He also stated that the universities in East Germany place a great value on research, development, and patent applications, and this culture is strongly encouraged in university staff's performance agreements.
The superior performance of Saxony and Thuringia's higher education systems in patent applications can be attributed to their strong emphasis on research and development, as acknowledged by IW patent expert Oliver Koppel. Education plays a crucial role in fostering this pro-innovation culture, encouraging universities in these regions to submit more patent applications than the national average.
