German Minister Touts Cooperation with China in Innovation, Research

(Beijing) – Johanna Wanka, Germany's minister for education and research, is often compared to Angela Merkel, the country's chancellor.

The two female leaders both attended the University of Leipzig, one of the world's oldest institutions of higher learning. They are also among the 10 of 16 German cabinet members with a doctoral degree in the sciences.

Wanka rose to the top education job in 2013 after a plagiarism scandal led to the downfall of her predecessor, Annette Schavan. In her ministerial capacity, she is committed to developing innovation, as well as "high-tech strategy" for equal opportunities in education.