Education and research are the foundations for our future. The promotion of education, science and research by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research represents an important contribution to securing our country's prosperity. They promote education and research for they are the foundations on which we will build our future in a changing world. Education provides the basis for leading an autonomous, responsible and participatory life within industry and society. Education provides our children with the tools they need to meet the challenges of a changing and increasingly globalized world. Research helps to discover the new and improve on the known. Thanks to excellent research we are finding solutions to global problems and devising strategies for sustainable growth. Research creates previously unknown opportunities in all domains of life, and it keeps our products and services innovative and competitive.