German Science and Humanities Council

The Wissenschaftsrat (WR; Council of Science and Humanities) is an advisory body to the German Federal Government and the state (Länder) 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.

The Wissenschaftliche Kommission (Scientific Commission) of the Wissenschaftsrat has 32 members appointed by the Federal President. Twenty-four scientists are jointly proposed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften (MPG, Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science), the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK, German Rector’s Conference), the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG, Fraunhofer Society), and the Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (WGL, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community). Another eight persons of high public standing are jointly proposed by the Federal Government and the state (Länder) governments.

Presidents

Presidents (Vorsitzender) of the organization:

• 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-present – Martina Brockmeier

See also

• Educational accreditation in Germany