German Council of Science and Humanities

The Science Council is the most important science policy advisory body in Germany. It was founded on September 5, 1957, advises federal and state governments in matters of content and structural development of the university system and the state support of research institutions.

Tasks

His consulting function satisfies the Science primarily by the development of recommendations, which are also published. These recommendations can both individual scientific institutions (universities, colleges, non-university research institutions ) as well as cross-cutting issues of the science system (for example, access to higher education, teacher education, higher medical ) concern.

In addition, the Science Council has adopted a series of individual tasks over time:

  • Evaluation of non-university research institutions, in particular the Leibniz Association and the so-called departmental research
  • Institutional accreditation of private and religious universities (since 2001)
  • Implementation of the Excellence Initiative (since 2005, together with the German Research Foundation )
  • Advising the federal and state governments on the structure of research funding

Ownership and organization

Support of the committee are the governments of the Federation and the Länder. The General Assembly of the Scientific Council consists of two equal commissions. The Scientific Commission consists of 24 scientists and eight representatives of public life. They are appointed by the Federal President. The 24 scientists jointly proposed by the German Research Society, the Leibniz Association, the German Rectors' Conference, Max Planck Society, the Helmholtz Association and the Fraunhofer Society. The eight public representatives are proposed jointly by the federal and state governments. The Administrative Commission shall be composed of one representative seconded the sixteen countries and six representatives of the federal government, but the latter have 16 votes, so that the Administrative Commission on 32 votes coming. Plenary meetings of the Scientific Council are held quarterly and will need to adopt its decisions by a two-thirds majority. The branch of the Science Council in Cologne. There supervise about 80 employees - including 40 scientists - the work of the Scientific Council in its boards and committees. The chairman of the Science Council is determined on an annual basis and represents the Science outward.

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