| Max-Weber-Kolleg

Wissenschaftsrat presents new recommendation on Institutes for Advanced Study

"The recommendations of the German Council of Science and Humanities show that the Max-Weber-Kolleg is on a very good and promising path with its concept of combining an IAS with a Graduate School, taking into account interdisciplinarity, internationality and intergenerationality. We are pleased with this confirmation of our work and look forward to continuing along this path," said Hartmut Rosa and Jörg Rüpke, the directors of the Max-Weber-Kolleg.

Today, the German Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat) presented its recommendations for the funding of Institutes for Advanced Study. The Science Council is the oldest science policy advisory body in Europe and was founded on September 5, 1957 in the Federal Republic of Germany by the Federal Government and the Länder on the basis of an administrative agreement. It advises the Federal Government and the governments of the Länder on all matters relating to the substantive and structural development of science, research and higher education.

In recent decades, Institutes for Advanced Studies (IAS) have developed worldwide from an exceptional phenomenon into a distinctive type of institution in the science system. Based on historical models - such as the Princeton IAS - today a variety of functions and forms are gathered under this umbrella. They enable scholars from different universities in Germany and abroad to devote themselves intensively to a research project for a limited period of time within the framework of a fellowship. The Max-Weber-Kolleg of the University of Erfurt is the only Institute for Advanced Study in Thuringia and was consulted in the preparation of the recommendation and is also mentioned in the recommendation of the Council of Science and Humanities in several places as an example, for instance when it comes to the promotion of young researchers:

"Special attention is paid by a large part of the IAS to the promotion of young scientists. In this context, the task of promoting young scientists is one of the statutory tasks of both university-based and non-university institutions. For example, the Max-Weber-Kolleg for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt focuses on the promotion of young academics at university-based IAS."

The recommendations of the Council of Science and Humanities refer to aspects such as interdisciplinarity, internationality and promotion of young researchers and call for enabling long-term planning for IAS.

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