The Saxon Industrial Research Association e. V. (SIG) organized a parliamentary evening in Dresden on April 19, 2016. The invited parliamentarians learned about both the strengths of Saxony's industrial research and the measures currently needed to further support industry-related research institutions.
Research has always played an important role in Saxony. Saxony's excellent reputation in the field of research and development is due in large part to its industrial research institutions, including FILK.
The Saxon Industrial Research Association e. V. (SIG) represents the interests of the 21 non-profit institutions, which cooperate with industry to an above-average extent in joint projects and contract research as well as in technical services.
Dr Steffen Tobisch (Chairman of the SIG) opened the evening and explained the demands of the association to the invited guests. The main focus was on equal access to investment support measures compared to the research associations that receive basic funding from the federal and state governments, as well as on better awareness of the strengths and opportunities that arise from the applied research of these institutions for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Free State.
Examples of cooperation with Saxony's industry were presented by Bertram Höfer, Managing Director of the Association of the North-East German Textile and Clothing Industry; Thomas Enders, Managing Partner of WätaS Wärmetauscher Sachsen GmbH; and Dr Hagen Hohmuth, Head of Research and Development at Tenowo GmbH. The speakers reported on successful research collaborations with SIG members.
Intensive discussions rounded off the evening and gave the SIG hope that the investment support for industrial research, which has also been called for from the parliamentary arena, will be reflected in the formulation of Saxony's 2017/2018 double budget.
More information on the members of the SIG can be found at: www.sig-forschung.de
