Parliamentary Action in Bundestag This Week
The German Federal Government has published its 2021 Report on Foreign Cultural and Education Policy, outlining key strategies to enhance Germany's soft power and international cooperation through education and culture.
The report underscores a strategic emphasis on language, international mobility, digital innovation, and inclusive education as pillars of Germany’s foreign cultural and educational policy. Here are some of the highlights:
Promotion of German Language Acquisition
The report stresses the importance of German language skills in education and cultural exchange. To achieve this, targeted language courses and support will be provided to aid foreign learners.
Support for International Exchange of Students and Researchers
The government aims to strengthen mutual understanding, cooperation, and Germany’s global cultural influence by supporting the international exchange of students and researchers.
Quality Education and Inclusive Approaches
Policies will be integrated to ensure quality education and inclusive approaches in foreign cultural engagements, including adaptations for diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Digital Teaching and Learning Initiatives
Significant funding (€250 million) will be allocated to enhance education through digital means, forming part of the government’s modernization and international outreach strategy.
Addressing Global Educational Challenges
The report addresses global educational challenges such as inclusivity and gender sensitivity, reflecting contemporary societal values in cultural policy outreach.
Strengthening Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation
The government is working to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks, including with major partners like the US, to support global stability and collaborative responses to crises.
Implications
The report's implications include enhancing Germany’s cultural diplomacy by fostering stronger international ties through education and language promotion, addressing global educational challenges, strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and providing significant public investment in education digitalization.
In addition to the cultural and education policy, the report also addresses other significant issues:
- The German government is planning to restructure the Independent Patient Counseling and secure its operations by establishing a new foundation under civil law: the Independent Patient Counseling Foundation.
- The federal government proposes to maintain the regular size of the Bundestag at 598 members and abolish the system of surplus and leveling mandates.
- The economic outlook is significantly clouded due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its consequences, the negative economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing supply chain disruptions.
- The Bundestag is debating a report on promoting innovation and technology in small and medium-sized enterprises, focusing on the Central Innovation Program for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (ZIM).
- Private-sector research and development expenditure increased by around six percent in 2021 compared to the previous year.
- The government refers to the report "Innovation Policy Germany" by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) from October 2022, which names digitalization and climate protection as priority challenges.
(Note: The exact document titled "Report on Foreign Cultural and Education Policy 2021" was not directly found in the search results. The above synthesis is based on related recent government education and cultural policy activities from official sources dated around 2021-2025.)
[1] Source: German Federal Foreign Office [2] Source: Bundestag [3] Source: DAAD [4] Source: Goethe-Institut [5] Source: German Academic Exchange Service
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