Located in Dresden, Germany, Fraunhofer IKTS is a leading applied research institution in the field of advanced ceramic materials, representing one of the four major research associations in Germany.
In addition to IKTS, the Fraunhofer institutes play a crucial role as a "bridge" connecting universities, research institutions, and industries across Germany.
Thomas Hartling, the director of Fraunhofer IKTS, defined the research institutes as an "accelerator" that provides a fast track for graduates in STEM fields from universities to enter the industry.
While German universities take responsibility for basic theory and scientific excellence, Fraunhofer institutes like IKTS enhance problem-solving skills through industrial projects, facilitating a seamless transition for talent into the industrial sector.
Hartling views this talent circulation not as a loss but as an opportunity for network expansion, leading to the establishment of a complete ecosystem for scientific and technological talent in Germany.
The key to this talent circulation lies in the presence of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) known as "Mittelstand," which possess advanced technology and serve as major partners of Fraunhofer.
Fraunhofer provides essential components to Mittelstand companies that may find it challenging to build large-scale pilot facilities independently and supplies them to actual production equipment.
Research scientists at Fraunhofer not only write papers but also learn to understand customer needs, manage schedules and budgets, and explain industrial risks systematically.
Graduate researchers at Fraunhofer participate in real industrial projects, with some serving as project leaders who directly communicate with clients, gaining skills that cannot be obtained in university classrooms.
By offering training in leadership, management, and sales skills to postdoctoral researchers, Fraunhofer provides opportunities for young researchers to grow into technical leaders, moving from researchers to "technology leaders."
Hartling analyzed that the application of this German innovation model in Korea would be influenced by differences in industrial structure.
He suggested that if Korea designs a structure that enables joint R&D culture and rapid decision-making between applied research institutions and SMEs, the research institutions could become experimental grounds for industrial innovation, leading to the establishment of a talent circulation ecosystem where individuals who have grown in the industry return to contribute to further industrial growth.