Environmental Scan 2017 | Page 158

Environmental Scan 2017: Human Capital Issues within the Medical Devices Sector Benchmarked Countries Description  Germany is currently moving at a high pace on the miniaturization of electro-medical equipment Growth Drivers for Medical Devices  There are no restrictions or barriers to capital transactions or currency transfers, real estate purchases, repatriation of profits, or access to foreign exchanges. The import duty rate for importing medical devices to Germany is also 0%  Germany via the ZIM program, which is a nation-wide funding programme for SMEs and research establishments. This program is open to all technologies and sectors. The program is designed to reimburse the cost of single and joint R&D projects realized by SMEs. The program grants up to 55% of maximum sum of EUR 380,000 in eligible expenses per project and partner. Talent Development Initiative  The German Dual Vocational Training System o One of the key success factor for Germans innovative mindset and cutting edge technology adoption is its education system. Its education system is the combination of theory and training embedded in a real-life work environment o The main characteristic of the dual system is a strong collaboration between the SMEs and public vocational schools o In 2014 alone, there were more than 500,000 apprentices in the medical technology sector.  Museums o One trend that was only observed in Germany and not anywhere else, is the use of museums to increase awareness and develop strong passion about a particular industry. o Government agencies and private companies in Germany set up museums that features interesting exhibits tracing the history of medical devices 158