The Data Portal of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the German Open Government Approach

Abstract

A German online data portal containing tables with statistical data material was launched in early summer 2011. This is offered by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and implemented by the HIS Higher Education Research Institute. The portal is intended as an information system for research support as well as a data source for ministries, press, businesses and interested private citizens. It offers a wide range of data in the fields of education, research and innovation. The portal covers, amongst others, partially very long time series from the paper based publication „Federal Report on Research and Innovation“ and the former paper series „Basic and Structural Data“. It comprises more than 400 tables from different sources (e.g. Federal Statistical Office, European Union, OECD, Centre for European Economic Research, HIS Higher Education Information System, Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training). The data portal is regularly updated, namely, several times a year, as soon as recent data is available from any source.