Networking

Networking and knowledge transfer play an essential role in research and development. BGR is actively involved in networks and cooperations in Germany, Europe and worldwide.

Nationwide networking

As coordinator and member of the German Resource Research Institute GERRI, BGR works with ten resource research institutions in Germany on topics related to a resource-efficient, climate-neutral and cycle-oriented raw materials economy in order to strengthen interdisciplinary research against the backdrop of complex challenges in the circular economy.

Cooperation in Europe

As one of the largest geological services in Europe, BGR is a founding member of EGS, the association of state geological services in Europe. Our employees are also actively involved in various European expert committees and networks.

International cooperation and knowledge transfer

In order to help shape international processes and provide our own impetus, we engage in cooperation with international organisations such as the IAEA, CTBTO and UNESCO. It is also possible for BGR employees to be seconded to international institutions such as the European Environment Agency (EEA), the World Bank and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

At the level of global associations, BGR is the secretariat of the German National Committee for the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and, in 2019, also provided an IUGS Vice President on the Executive Committee. The IUGS, one of the largest non-governmental scientific organisations in the world, promotes the study of geological issues and supports international interdisciplinary cooperation in the earth sciences. Thematic priorities currently include geoinformation, international standards, environmental management and geo-hazards.

Technical cooperation

European and international cooperation takes place in many ways through networks and science transfer formats. Technical cooperation supports BGR's role as a mediator between science on the one hand and politics, industry and society on the other. The TC project work has resulted in a wide range of cooperation with international organisations and research institutions that are important for BGR beyond the scope of TC. BGR makes targeted use of the potential arising from its activities in TC for research and development, consulting and services, and for its public visibility.

Polar geology and deep-sea research

Research and logistics in polar geology are based on international networking and co-operation. International partners are therefore always involved in BGR expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. In the Antarctic, this is particularly supported by Article 2 of the Antarctic Treaty. The BGR also participates in international research programmes, such as drilling campaigns. International contacts make it possible to pool resources and scientific expertise in the logistically and financially challenging polar regions. BGR's active participation in political and scientific polar research committees at national and international level, such as SCAR, IASC and in the Antarctic Treaty System, maintains and expands existing contacts and broad networking.

In addition, the coordination office of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) is located at BGR. The IODP is a deep-sea research programme involving 23 countries worldwide; its infrastructure is financed by the USA, Japan, China, Korea, Australia-New Zealand, India, Brazil and the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD, of which the German Research Foundation is a member). Together with the AWI, BGR participates in the IODP on behalf of Germany and is expanding intensive global cooperation in the field of geophysics using the AWI research platforms in the Antarctic and Arctic.

Cooperation with universities

BGR provides research logistics for German universities and non-university research institutions. Scientists from international universities regularly participate in expeditions, and our employees frequently publish joint papers with visiting scientists.

The cooperation with German universities conducting polar research (including Bremen, Erlangen, Hanover and Münster) is also noteworthy. Together with these partners, BGR raises third-party funding to strengthen research capacity and promote young scientists. Moreover, BGR is continuously involved in supervising master's theses and doctoral dissertations.

By organising and partly managing international research workshops, we strengthen the scientific significance of our work.