Leibniz Science Association

Currently, 84 non-university research institutions and institutions with a service function for research are co-financed by the Federal Government and the Länder at the Leibniz Science Association. Funding by the Federal Government and the Länder  is usually provided in a ratio of 50:50; the funding ratio can, however, deviate, in particular for institutions with a service function. In 2006, the Federal Government and the Länder will provide about €755 million (target) towards funding institutions of the Leibniz Science Association under their joint research funding for institutions.

The 36 institutions in the new Länder shape their respective science locations to a great extent and play a key role for the scientific development in the new Länder. In diverse collaborations, in particular with institutions of higher education and institutes of the MPG and FhG, the Leibniz Science Association contributes to shaping the scientific environment for research in Germany and gives innovative impetus.

The externally staffed Senate of the Leibniz Science Association has been evaluating the institutions since 2003. Within the framework of the evaluation, which was formerly conducted by the Science Council, the institutions' national importance, which is essential for co-funding by the Federal Government and the Länder, and the national science-policy interest are also assessed. The BLK decisions on the orientation of the Leibniz institutions and their eligibility for funding, taken at least every seven years, are based on the Senate's position.

All Leibniz institutes have joined forces in the Leibniz Science Association. The association facilitates closer cooperation between the institutions by means of regular exchanges of experience and information, cooperation in matters of shared interest regarding the use of existing potential as well as the safeguarding of the members' shared interest vis-à-vis third parties. The Leibniz Science Association is headed by a President, who is supported by a Secretary General. It maintains an office in Bonn and bureaus Berlin and Brussels.

The Leibniz Science Association is divided into five sections:

• humanities and educational research;
• economic and social sciences, regional infrastructure research;
• life sciences;
• mathematics, natural sciences and engineering, and
• environmental sciences.

The Leibniz Science Association is characterized by close cooperation with universities. Research within networks is the core element and guiding principle of all institutes and begins with the fact that the Director of a Leibniz institute, as a rule, is a professor appointed together with a university. The institutes are eligible for applications to the DFG in their main area of work. In return, they pay 2.5% of the grants (excluding building investment) to the DFG. No other research organization can participate in higher education research in this way and thus link the research and the science system. Networking is achieved with the following concrete measures:

• pooling of activities in regional collaborations and in cooperation with the institutions of higher education (topic-oriented and administrative collaborations, excellence clusters, virtual centres, cooperation regulated by contract)
• cross-sectional science collaborations (e.g. on the following future-oriented topics: research on infectious diseases, learning research, climate research, marine research, optical technologies, environmental research)
• cross-sectional working groups