Terms A-Z

This glossary contains definitions of the terms from the topic areas Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and is regularly updated. The glossary terms are alphabetically ordered.

Research and Development (R&D)

Research and experimental development (in short: research and development, R&D) is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge - including knowledge about humanity, culture, and society - and developing new applications based on existing knowledge. R&D encompasses three areas: basic research, applied research, and experimental development.