The ''Wissenschaftsrat'' (''WR''; German Science and Humanities Council) 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.'

' – Functions and Organization 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 The German Research Foundation (german: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ; DFG ) is a German research funding organization, which functions as a self-governing institution for the promotion of science and research in the Federal Republic of Germ ...

'' (DFG, German Research Foundation), the ''Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften'' (MPG,

Max Planck Society The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (german: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e. V.; abbreviated MPG) is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes. ...

for the Advancement of Science), the ''Hochschulrektorenkonferenz'' (HRK, German Rector’s Conference), the

Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres The Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (german: Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren) is the largest scientific organisation in Germany. It is a union of 18 scientific-technical and biological-medical research centers. ...

, the ''Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft'' (FhG,

Fraunhofer Society The Fraunhofer Society (german: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., lit=Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research) is a German research organization with 76institutes spread throughout Germany ...

), and the ''Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz'' (WGL,

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community The Leibniz Association (German: ''Leibniz-Gemeinschaft'' or ''Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz'') is a union of German non-university research institutes from various disciplines. As of 2020, 96 non-university research insti ...

). 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: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 Hans Leussink (2 February 1912 in Schüttorf – 16 February 2008 in Karlsruhe) was a German teacher and politician. He served as the country's Minister for Education and Research from October 1969 to March 1972 in Cabinet Brandt I under Chancel ...

* 1969–1972 –

Reimar Lüst Reimar Lüst (; 25 March 1923 – 31 March 2020) was a German astrophysicist. He worked in European space science from its beginning, as the scientific director of the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) from 1962 and as Director Genera ...

* 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 Dagmar Elisabeth Schipanski (; 3 September 1943 – 7 September 2022) was a German physicist, academic, and politician from Thuringia. Although best known for her 1999 German presidential election, 1999 nomination as President of Germany by the ...

* 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–present – Dorothea Wagner

Presidents

Notes

See also