1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Education and Training
Content element with id 9138

Education and Training

From an economic perspective, it is beneficial if policymakers invest in the bright minds of tomorrow and create a competitive, innovative and equitable education system in Germany. The Education Monitor - one of the most important studies on education in Germany - shows that Germany can do even better here.

About the topic

Schools and universities are not producing enough well-educated young people. This is leading to shortages of skilled workers, which are being exacerbated by demographic change and, as a result, falling numbers of schoolchildren and students as the workforce ages. This makes it all the more important for the state to invest in education and provide the best possible training for existing children and young people. The expansion of early childhood education and all-day care at daycare centers and schools will have a particularly strong impact. Good foundations at the start of education benefit later phases of education, when more is learned. At the same time, families can better realize their employment aspirations and thus also contribute to securing a skilled workforce. Through its subsidiary IW Junior, the IW is also committed to expanding economic education.

German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

Read the article
Making Apprenticeships a Success: From Marketing to Hiring
IW-Report No. 38 11. September 2026 Paula Risius et al.

Making Apprenticeships a Success: From Marketing to Hiring

In-company vocational training is a key factor in securing skilled labour. The first step in investing in future employees is to approach and recruit new apprentices. For many companies, filling the apprenticeship positions they offer is a challenge.

Paula Risius / Dirk Werner / Philip Herzer / Fritz Orange / Regina Flake / Franziska Arndt / Yasin Küçükyavuz / Edgar Schmitz IW

Read the article
Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index 3.0
Expertise 11. September 2026 Axel Plünnecke et al

Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index 3.0

Innovation and competitiveness drive productivity, economic growth, and welfare growth.

Axel Plünnecke et al IW

Read the article
Use of Parental Leave by Mothers and Fathers
IW-Report No. 31 1. July 2026 Wido Geis-Thöne

Use of Parental Leave by Mothers and Fathers

Whilst there has been much discussion about parental allowance (Elterngeld) in recent years, parental leave (Elternzeit) has been largely overlooked in the public eye. This is partly because very little is known about how it is taken up.

Wido Geis-Thöne IW

Read the article
Is Lifelong Learning the Key to Later Retirement?
IW-Trends No. 1 19. May 2026 Wido Geis-Thöne / Andrea Hammermann / Ruth Maria Schüler

Is Lifelong Learning the Key to Later Retirement?

There appears to be a connection between lifelong learning and remaining longer active in the labour market.

Wido Geis-Thöne / Andrea Hammermann / Ruth Maria Schüler IW

Our Experts

View profile
Christina Anger

Dr. Christina Anger

Head of the Research Group Microdata

Tel: +49 221 4981-718
View profile
Melanie Behrendt

Melanie Behrendt

Team Leader Kompetenzzentrum Fachkräftesicherung

Tel: +49 221 4981-702
View profile
Alexander Burstedde

Alexander Burstedde

Senior Economist for qualification and securing skilled workers

Tel: +49 221 4981-217 Alexander Burstedde @ABurstedde
View profile
Carlotta Cohnen

Carlotta Cohnen

Consultant for international vocational training

Tel: +49 221 4981-595
View profile
Alissa Eschholz

Alissa Eschholz

Senior consultant for vocational training and project management Netzwerk Q

Tel: +49 221 4981-538 Alissa Eschholz
View profile
Regina Flake

Dr. Regina Flake

Team Leader Kompetenzzentrum Fachkräftesicherung

Tel: +49 221 4981-840
View profile
Judith Freisburger

Judith Freisburger

Consultant for personnel work in companies

Tel: +49 221 4981-855
View profile
Wido Geis-Thöne

Dr. Wido Geis-Thöne

Senior Economist for Family Policy and Migration Issues

Tel: +49 221 4981-705
View profile
Sarah Hornickel

Sarah Hornickel

Consultant for Artificial Intelligence and Transformation

Tel: +49 221 4981-887 Sarah Hornickel
View profile
Susanne Jacobs

Susanne Jacobs

Senior Consultant for training and further education Netzwerk Q

Tel: +49 221 4981-239 Susanne Jacobs
View profile
Oliver Koppel

Dr. Oliver Koppel

Team leader patent database

Tel: +49 221 4981-716
View profile
Kerstin Krey

Kerstin Krey

Head of Education, Innovation and Immigration Research Unit

Tel: +49 221 4981-833

Fax: +49 221 4981-99833

View profile
Louisa Marie Kürten

Louisa Marie Kürten

Senior consultant for innovation and change

Tel: +49 221 4981-204 Louisa Marie Kürten
View profile
Lydia Malin

Dr. Lydia Malin

Senior Economist for qualification and securing skilled workers

Tel: +49 221 4981-850 Lydia Malin
View profile
Christoph Metzler

Dr. Christoph Metzler

Senior Economist for Vocational Training and Supply of skill needs

Tel: +49 221 4981-871 Christoph Metzler @TophAndre
View profile
Fritz Orange

Fritz Orange

Consultant for Skilled Workforce Retention

Tel: +49 221 4981-478 Fritz Orange
View profile
Prof. Dr. Axel Plünnecke, Leiter des Clusters Bildung, Innovation, Migration

Prof. Dr. Axel Plünnecke

Head of Education, Innovation and Immigration Research Unit

Tel: +49 221 4981-701 @A_Pluennecke
View profile
Paula Risius

Paula Risius

Senior Economist for qualification and securing skilled workers

Tel: +49 221 4981-680
View profile
Sibylle Stippler

Sibylle Stippler

Head of Vocational Education and Training Research Unit

Tel: +49 221 4981‑865 Sibylle Stippler @SibylleStippler
View profile
Kristina Stoewe-Baars

Dr. Kristina Stoewe-Baars

Consultant for Vocational Qualification and Skilled Workers in the Passgenaue Besetzung project

Tel: +49 221 4981-343 Kristina Stoewe-Baars
Leonie Walder

Leonie Walder

Referentin für Projektmanagement

Tel: +49 221 4981-903 Leonie Walder
View profile
Dirk Werner

Dirk Werner

Head of Vocational Education and Training Research Unit

Tel: +49 221 4981-712 Dirk Werner @DKW_follow
Letizia Şenli

Letizia Şenli

Consultant for Social Media Management

Tel: +49 221 4981-352 Letizia Şenli
Content element with id 9139

All news

1300 results
Sort by:
Read study
Event 14. October 2026 Alexander Radunz

Expert Workshop on the Industrial Accelerator Act

The German Economic Institute (IW) and Frontier Economics are pleased to invite you to a rapporteur & stakeholder workshop on the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) in Brussels.

Read study
The Honesty-Attitude-Behavior Gap: A Cross-Country Comparison
IW-Trends No. 3 29. September 2026

The Honesty-Attitude-Behavior Gap: A Cross-Country Comparison

Dominik Enste / Jennifer Potthoff / Augustin Renz

Honesty reduces transaction costs and is therefore a prerequisite for effective economic cooperation.

Read study
Event 28. September 2026 Sandra Parthie / Alexander Radunz

Online-Veranstaltungsreihe „Von Brüssel nach Berlin”: Regionalentwicklung und Industriepolitik

Wir laden Sie herzlich zu einer weiteren Online-Veranstaltung unserer Veranstaltungsreihe „Von Brüssel nach Berlin“ ein. Mit ihr wollen wir in loser Folge Themen aus der europäischen in die deutsche Hauptstadt tragen.

Read study
Complementary Capabilities for Circular Practices: Firm-Level Evidence in Germany on the Role of Digitalization and Innovation
External Publication 16. September 2026

Complementary Capabilities for Circular Practices: Firm-Level Evidence in Germany on the Role of Digitalization and Innovation

Sarah Lichtenthäler / Adriana Neligan in Journal of Circular Economy

The transition to a circular economy (CE) requires firms to reconfigure business models, processes and capabilities.

Read study
Making Apprenticeships a Success: From Marketing to Hiring
IW-Report No. 38 11. September 2026

Making Apprenticeships a Success: From Marketing to Hiring

Paula Risius / Dirk Werner / Philip Herzer / Fritz Orange / Regina Flake / Franziska Arndt / Yasin Küçükyavuz / Edgar Schmitz

In-company vocational training is a key factor in securing skilled labour. The first step in investing in future employees is to approach and recruit new apprentices. For many companies, filling the apprenticeship positions they offer is a challenge.

Read study
Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index 3.0
Expertise 11. September 2026

Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index 3.0

Axel Plünnecke et al

Innovation and competitiveness drive productivity, economic growth, and welfare growth.

Read study
GTIPA Perspectives: Making AI Policy to Drive Innovation
External Publication 9. September 2026

GTIPA Perspectives: Making AI Policy to Drive Innovation

Vera Demary

Germany’s federal structure leads to a diverse landscape of AI policies across the country. While the EU AI Act establishes a general framework for AI policy throughout the continent, Germany’s federal government is responsible for national AI policies.

Read study
AI skills demand in the EU
Expertise 8. September 2026

AI skills demand in the EU

Jan Büchel / Jan Engler / Armin Mertens

More and more companies in Europe are using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In 2025, one in five companies in the EU with 10 employees or more used at least one major AI technology, up from 8% in 2023 (Eurostat, 2026a).

Read study
European Minimum Wage Directive and Strengthening Collective Bargaining Coverage
Expertise 25. August 2026

European Minimum Wage Directive and Strengthening Collective Bargaining Coverage

Hagen Lesch / Lennart Eckle / Sandra Vogel

The EU Minimum Wage Directive recommends that EU Member States achieve a collective bargaining coverage of 80 per cent to ensure adequate minimum wages.

Read study
Critical Raw Materials: Corporate Exposure, Supply Risks and Adaptation Strategies
IW-Trends No. 2 6. August 2026

Critical Raw Materials: Corporate Exposure, Supply Risks and Adaptation Strategies

Adriana Neligan / Cornelius Bähr / Hubertus Bardt / Edgar Schmitz

Critical raw materials are vital inputs for key technologies and thus for industrial competitiveness.

Content element with id 9713