The German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, WR) is an advisory body to the German Federal Government and the federal state governments. It makes recommendations on the development of science, research, and the universities, as well as on the competitiveness of German science. These recommendations involve both quantitative and financial considerations, as well as their implementation. Funding is provided by the federal and state governments. Aufgaben – Organization – Functions and Organization
The Science and Humanities Council's Scientific Commission has 32 members appointed by the Federal President. Twenty-four scientists are jointly proposed by the German Research Foundation, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the German Rectors' Conference, the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, the Fraunhofer Society, and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community. Another eight persons of high public standing are jointly proposed by the Federal Government and the federal state governments.
Tasks In the recent past, the German Council of Science and Humanities expressed its views in its statements, recommendations, and position papers on various topics, including university construction (2022),Probleme und Perspektiven des Hochschulbaus 2030 (PDF; 1 MB), January 2022, retrieved 10 February 2022., retrieved 10 February 2022. the transformation of scientific publishing to Open Access (2022),Empfehlungen zur Transformation des wissenschaftlichen Publizierens zu Open Access auf der wissenschaftsrat.de (PDF; 1 MB), January 2022, retrieved 10 February 2022.https://open-access.network/services/news/artikel/wissenschaftsrat-fordert-open-access-als-standard, retrieved 10 February 2022. and science communication (2021).Wissenschaftskommunikation (PDF; 928 KB), retrieved 10 February 2022.https://www.jmwiarda.de/2021/11/08/bitte-schaut-%C3%BCber-den-eigenen-tellerrand-hinaus/, retrieved 10 February 2022. In 2020, it published the position paper "Impulses from the COVID-19 Crisis for the Further Development of the Science System in Germany,"Impulse aus der COVID-19-Krise für die Weiterentwicklung des Wissenschaftssystems in Deutschland (PDF; 818 KB), retrieved 10 February 2022. which described ten challenges for research to be crisis-proof. In 2019, it called for more funds for peace and conflict studies. In the same year (2019), it issued a statement on the further development of university medicine in North Rhine-Westphalia.Stellungnahme zur Weiterentwicklung der Universitätsmedizin Nordrhein-Westfalen auf der wissenschaftsrat.de (PDF; 5 MB), retrieved 10 February 2022. In 2016, the Council produced a position paper on knowledge and technology transfer.uni-muenster.de 29 January 2020, "Transfer ist nicht etwas für den Feierabend", retrieved 24 January 2021. In 2015, in a position paper titled "Major Societal Challenges" internationally referred to as societal challenges or grand challenges,Große gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen auf der uni-heidelberg.de, Joachim Funke, Psychologisches Institut Heidelberg, retrieved 28 January 2017. it called for the "integration and flexible recombination of knowledge on ecological, technological, social, cultural, and economic aspects of a transformation process."Zum wissenschaftspolitischen Diskurs über Große gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen auf der wissenschaftsrat.de (PDF; 356 KB), April 2015, retrieved 28 January 2017.
Presidents Presidents (Vorsitzender) of the organization:"Wolfgang Marquardt neuer Vorsitzender des Wissenschaftsrats" – New president of the Council of Science and Humanities
1958–1961 – Helmut Coing 1961–1965 – Ludwig Raiser 1965–1969 – Hans Leussink 1969–1972 – Reimar Lüst 1972–1976 – Theodor Heidhues 1976–1979 – Wilhelm A. Kewenig 1979–1982 – Andreas Heldrich 1982–1985 – Hans-Jürgen Engell 1985–1987 – Heinz Heckhausen 1987–1989 – Kurt Kochsiek 1989-1993 – Dieter Simon 1993–1994 – Gerhard Neuweiler 1994–1996 – Karl-Heinz Hoffmann 1996–1998 – Dagmar Schipanski 1998–2001 – Winfried Schulze 2001–2006 – Karl Max Einhäupl 2006–2011 – Peter Strohschneider 2011–2014 – Wolfgang Marquardt 2014–2017 – Manfred Prenzel 2017–2020 – Martina Brockmeier 2020–2023 – Dorothea Wagner 2023–present – Wolfgang Wick
See also Educational accreditation in Germany
Notes
External links German Science and Humanities Council