ZEW Annual Report 2006 published – ZEW Success Story Continues

- Third-party funds grew from 5.16 million euros to 6.19 million euros and have thus reached a record high since the institute’s foundation in 1991

- Very successful at acquiring EU projects - Number of employees increased by 21 to 149 and continues to grow in 2007

- The proportion of women in the research departments reached 41 per cent due to flexible, family-friendly working time arrangements

– Nine doctorates and one habilitation of ZEW researches in 2006

– Further successful expansion of the international network

– Number of participants in ZEW Expert Seminars doubled

In the business year 2006, the total revenue of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim mounted up to 14.15 million euros. The newly published annual report 2006 of this economic research institute suggests that the increase of third-party funds from 5.16 million euros in 2005 to 6.19 million euros in 2006 particularly contributed to this year’s success. The third-party funding has thus recorded its highest level since the foundation of ZEW in 1991. “These excellent results show that our donors and contractors highly appreciate the great scientific quality of the research at ZEW. This is a good basis for stabilising and further expanding our international position as a leading institute within the field of empirical economic research,” says ZEW president Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz.

The ZEW’s successful acquisition of third-party funding partly resulted from the high number of approved project applications at EU level and contracts with other international organisations. Together they make up about 36 per cent of the ZEW’s external funds. But even in tough competition with other research facilities and Universities for research contracts offered by ministries, foundations, enterprises and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), ZEW was often way out in front that year.

Thanks to the excellent order situation, ZEW was able to increase its workforce by 21 employees to 149 in the previous year. This growth in personnel was solely for the benefit of the research departments where, at the end of 2006, 105 employees worked. Especially the proportion of women in the research departments, which lies at impressive 41 per cent, is something to be proud of. It partly resulted from the flexible ZEW working time arrangements introduced by the institute to actively support the reconciliation of family and working life. The recruitment needs of the ZEW were not limited to the previous year but persist throughout the current business year. “ZEW is going to hire about 25 employees until the end of 2007,” explains Thomas Kohl, ZEW Director of Business and Administration.

ZEW researchers published numerous articles in renowned economic journals in 2006, thus proving the high quality of research at ZEW. Moreover, nine dissertations and one habilitation contributed to ZEW’s success record. By introducing new research areas, the ZEW proved the dynamism required to stay competitive in international research in the long term. Last year, for instance, the working group “Empirical Competition Policy” was called into being and important preliminary scientific work was carried out to establish the research group “Economics of Skill Formation”.

The ZEW Doctoral Studies Network and the ZEW Visiting Researchers Programme, introduced in 2006, show that ZEW has increasingly integrated into the international research network. By launching the ZEW Doctoral Studies Network, a cooperation between ZEW and doctoral programmes conducted by the Universities of St. Gallen, Constance and Mannheim, the research institute significantly intensified its support of doctoral programme participants beyond the existing doctoral funding. With the aid of the ZEW Visiting Researchers Programme, ZEW was able to deepen the cooperation with internationally renowned researchers.

Aside from economic research and competent policy advice, ZEW attaches great importance to knowledge transfer. Last year, the research institute also managed to achieve great success in this field. The number of participants in ZEW expert seminars doubled and the successfully implemented training courses on the subject of financial econometrics for experts and specialists in Zurich was a first effective step into the international market of professional training.

Contact

Thomas Kohl, Phone: +49/621/1235-111, E-mail: kohl@zew.de