Collaboration with international partners enables a holistic approach to global problems and improves Leibniz research. But it also creates stable relationships and networks built on trust, which have a knock-on impact in the local communities.

Leibniz Institutes work closely with researchers from the Global South and with German development cooperation organisations. Science diplomacy – building trust and communication channels – is of key importance here. The institutes are also involved in capacity building/sharing projects for building and sharing knowledge, infrastructure and expertise.

The Leibniz Association engages in activities all over the world, training young researchers, providing public policy consulting and promoting the transfer of knowledge and technological innovation. Working with African partner institutions for instance, Leibniz Institutes generate valuable health research findings in the fight against Ebola, malaria and other tropical diseases. Biodiversity research takes place in the aquatic and terrestrial contexts. And the Leibniz Association also has expertise in the social sciences and economics, for instance in the area of democratisation processes and conflict and peace research.

The Leibniz Association’s institutes are firmly rooted in global cutting-edge research, and Leibniz researchers are constantly developing and expanding international partnerships. Cross-border collaboration opens up many opportunities, but is not risk-free.

Research security is of fundamental importance to the Leibniz Association. It means ensuring our own research does not contravene export control legislation or research ethics, but it also concerns the potential misuse or unauthorised unilateral commercial exploitation of results and technologies, and the protection of scientific reputations.