International academic staff at the four largest non-university research institutes, since 2011

In 2021, around 15,900 academics and researchers of foreign nationality were contractually employed at the four largest non-university research institutions (NURI). Since 2011, their number has more than doubled (+112%). This means that the development of international scientific staff at AUFE is somewhat more dynamic than at universities. While the number of international academics and researchers at universities has increased by 20% since 2018, the increase at NURI was 22% over the same period, 6% more than in 2020 alone.

The strongest increase can be seen at the Max Planck Society. Within ten years, the number of international academics and researchers here has increased by 170%. This is partly due to the decision taken in 2015 to no longer finance doctoral researchers through fellowships, but through fixed-term employment contracts. In the institutions of the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations, there has also been a significant increase in international academic staff since 2011, by 110% and 123% respectively. Only the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is somewhat of an exception. In 2021, it recorded the highest number of international academics and researchers to date, but compared to 2011, the increase is only 13%. After a significant decline, this number has been growing steadily again since 2015, from 2020 to 2021 alone by 8%.