The BMBF's Foresight Process

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Fraunhofer Institutes for Systems and Innovation Research (FhG ISI) and for Industrial Engineering (FhG IAO) have formulated a number of long-term research tasks in seven entirely new, so-called cutting-edge fields within in the framework of the BMBF foresight process. They are to contribute to our ability to face global challenges. Information resulting from the foresight study is as important for the further development of the High-Tech Strategy as it is for the development of programmes for research and innovation in Germany.

In 2007 the Federal Ministry of  Education and Research started the BMBF Foresight process to identify new focus areas for research and technology. The results of the search phase became available in May 2010 and are accessible on this site along with contributions of experts that were generated in an online discussion phase in May/June 2010.

Below please find an overview of the seven "New future fields" identified in the Foresight process, preceded by an introduction to the methodology of the process. Alternatively, the complete report can be downloaded here.

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  topic Ministry

  ProductionConsumption2.0

  Transformative innovations to achieve sustainable production and consumption
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14972.php)
   
  
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  Human-Technology Cooperation

  Integrative research about the interplay of man and technical change in a new quality
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14979.php)
   
  
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  Ageing Deciphering

  Understanding ageing as a central, multifactorial process in human development throughout the entire life span
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14980.php)
   
  
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  Sustainable Living Spaces

  Development of adequate infrastructure systems in the area of tension between new spatial planning, lifestyles and technology
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14981.php)
   
  
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  Transdisciplinary Models and Multi-Scale Simulation

  Integrative simulation methods to manage complexity in science and humanities research
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14983.php)
   
  
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  Time Research

  Investigating time-related technologies and time-critical processes in new depth
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14984.php)
   
  
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  Sustainable Energy Solutions

  Coordinated diversity in research on sustainable energy (energy concert) and using micro-energy from the environment in autonomous, decentralised, mobile applications and systems (Micro-energy from the environment)
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14985.php)
   
  
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  Foresight: Objectives, methodology, and experts

  This area refers to the Foresight process as a whole
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14970.php)
   
  

We would highly appreciate your ideas, thoughts and remarks concerning the methodology and the results of the Foresight process. You are welcome to leave comments here. Contributions are freely accessible, but adding comments requires going through a simple registration process.

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  Strategic dialogues for the further development of future fields

  Strategic dialogues provide an opportunity to look at the new future fields of the BMBF Foresight Process under different perspectives. This is necessary on the one hand, for the further development of content, and on the other hand in order to be able to include important aspects in the integration and translation of results into funding-policy measures at an early stage.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/14692.php)
   
  
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  Current developments

  Here, we would like to provide you with information on the current status of the work under the BMBF Foresight Process. For example, you will find information on the progress of the foresight activities. You will also find results of the BMBF Foresight Process here.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12823.php)
   
  
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  Methods

  The BMBF's Foresight Process will employ a combination of classical foresight methods using additional innovative elements and monitoring methods.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12685.php)
   
  
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  Background to the BMBF's Foresight Process

  Technology foresight processes have a long tradition at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. For over 15 years, the BMBF has been initiating processes whose methods are adapted to the current state of the art of technology foresight. Despite the wide variety of approaches employed, the goal remains the same: Identifying future technologies and research areas and supporting the prioritization of German research and technology policy.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12687.php)
   
  
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  Foresight documents

  There follows a list of basic publications on foresight processes and methods. They include overviews of foresight activities, introductions and handbooks. You will also find literature on basic concepts and current developments as well as a list of important journals.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/12689.php)
   
  
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  Evaluation of the BMBF-Foresight-Process

  In order to verify and ensure its efficiency and effectiveness, the BMBF-Foresight-Process is systematically evaluated.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/13472.php)