On 13 April 2018, the Joint Science Conference (GWK – Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz) of the Federal Government and the Länder has unanimously decided to accept the Hans-Bredow-Institut into the joint funding of the Leibniz Association. The admission is planned for the beginning of 2019. “We are very happy about the opinion of the Joint Science Conference. The decisive step has been taken in the direction of an admission to the Leibniz Association; 2019 will be the beginning of a new era for the institute. We would also like to express our gratitude to the City of Hamburg and the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research and Equality for their outstanding support", says Director
Uwe Hasebrink, welcoming the decision.
“The secured basic funding gives our researchers the possibility to pursue independent, interdisciplinary research at a very high level and which reacts to current social issues and developments”, adds Director
Wolfgang Schulz. “With this decision, the quality as well as the nationwide significance of our work is recognised”, he continues.
So far, Hamburg has financed the state funding for the Hans-Bredow-Institut alone. In future, the federal government will take over 50 percent, Hamburg only 38 percent, and the rest will be paid by the other federal states. The decision was based on recommendations from the senate of the Leibniz Association and the Science Council, which evaluated the institute. The Council assesses the scientific quality of the Hans-Bredow-Institut and its structural relevance for the scientific system as “very good”, its supra-regional significance as “excellent”.
First Mayor of Hamburg Peter Tschentscher: “I congratulate the Hans-Bredow-Institut and all employees on this significant decision for the media and scientific centre Hamburg. In order to shape digital change and to take advantage of the opportunities it presents, an excellent scientific support is needed. Especially its interdisciplinary view on media change and the related changes in communication make the Hans-Bredow-Institut an important partner for the Federal Government, the Länder and the media industry.” Already in his government statement of 11 April 2018, the new First Mayor of Hamburg counted the Hans-Bredow-Institut among the scientific beacons and emphasised that it is “of great importance for the media city of Hamburg.”
Katharina Fegebank, Senator for Science, Research and Equality in Hamburg: “The Hans-Bredow-Institut is one of the oldest and most renowned institutes of media research in Germany and of great significance for the media centre of Hamburg. It researches public communication in media society on an excellent scientific level and is therefore a great assed for the Hanseatic city, especially in times of media change. The admission into the Leibniz Association will further strengthens the Hans-Bredow-Institut as well as the scientific centre of Hamburg – and will provide more radiance overall.”
The next step is to negotiate the details of the admission with the Leibniz Association (WGL). In January 2019, the Hans-Bredow-Institut will be part of the WGL. Every seven years, the research of the institute will be evaluated to determine if the requirements for further funding are still met.
Information on the Joint Science Conference (GWK)
The Conference, which was founded in 2008, deals with all questions of science and research policy strategies, research funding and the science system which jointly affect the Federal Government and the Länder. Members of the GWK are ministers of science and ministers finance of the Federal Government and the Länder. Whilst preserving their own competences, the members of the GWK strive for close coordination on questions of common interest in the field of national, European and international science and research policy with the aim of strengthening Germany’s position as a location for science and research in the international competition. https://www.gwk-bonn.de/en/.
Information on the Leibniz Association (WGL)
One of the non-university research institutions funded by the GWK is the Leibniz Association. It consists of 93 research and infrastructure facilities. The research institutes are active in research fields which require a long-term approach, are generally interdisciplinary in their research orientation and are not suitable for typical university research because of their scope, long-term investment or content. The infrastructure facilities provide scientific information and services for university and non-university research. https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/en/about-us/
The institutions of the Leibniz Association are funded jointly by the Federal Government and the Länder on the basis of the GWK agreement and the Implementation Agreement WGL (Leibniz Association), generally in a ratio of 50% (Federal Government) : 50% (Länder). In 2018, the institutes of the Leibniz Association will receive a joint grant of around 1.210 billion euros from the Federal Government and the Länder. https://www.gwk-bonn.de/themen/foerderung-von-ausseruniversitaeren-wissenschaftseinrichtungen/wissenschaftseinrichtungen-in-der-gemeinsamen-foerderung/leibniz-gemeinschaft-wgl/
Information on the Science Council
The Science Council advises the Federal Government and the Governments of the Länder on issues relating to the content and structural development of universities, science and research. More information at https://www.wissenschaftsrat.de/en/home.html.
