Bodies of the Leibniz Association
The General Assembly decides on matters of fundamental – especially strategic – importance to the Leibniz Association. It generally meets once a year – at the annual meeting in November – and is attended by the academic and administrative heads of the member institutions as laid down in the statutes.
Matters of fundamental importance – such as the election of the President and Vice Presidents, admitting new member institutions to the Leibniz Association, resolutions on budget and financial matters and on overarching recommendations – are discussed and agreed at the General Assembly.
The General Assembly is chaired by the President.
The President represents the Leibniz Association internally and externally and draws up the main points of its research policy. S/he represents the joint interests of the member institutions in dealings with the central and federal state governments, other research organisations and the public.
S/he is involved in national and international research policy committees and organisations, and chairs the General Assembly, the Board, the Executive Board and meetings of the Senate.
The President is elected by the General Assembly for four years and may be re-elected.
The Board of the Leibniz Association consists of the President and at least four Vice Presidents and is responsible for managing the Association and for carrying out resolutions passed by its official bodies. It is responsible for implementing generally binding rules produced by the committees, such as rules and principles of procedure and electoral regulations. The Board appoints the Secretary General, who heads the Leibniz Headquarters, on the recommendation of the President and with the approval of the Executive Board.
Members of the Board
Vice President
Prof. Alexandra W. Busch
Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), Mainz
T +49 6131 8885 115
generaldirektorin(at)leiza.deVice President
Prof. Sebastian Lentz
Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig
T +49 34 160055 107
S_Lentz(at)leibniz-ifl.deVice President
Dr Martin Mittelbach
Senckenberg Society for Nature Research - Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN), Frankfurt am Main
T +49 69 7542 1470
martin.mittelbach(at)senckenberg.deVice President
Prof. Albert Sickmann
Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V., Dortmund
T +49 231 1392 100
sickmann(at)isas.deVice President
Prof. Barbara Sturm
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam
T +49 03 315699 100
director(at)atb-potsdam.deThe eleven-member Executive Board of the Leibniz Association is composed of the President, the Vice Presidents and spokespersons of the five Sections and of the Administrative Committee. The Secretary General participates in Executive Board meetings in an advisory capacity.
The Executive Board advises the Board on all fundamental matters pertaining to the Leibniz Association and takes funding decisions relating to the Strategy Fund.
Members of the Executive Board
Vice President
Prof. Alexandra W. Busch
Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), Mainz
T +49 6131 8885 115
generaldirektorin(at)leiza.deVice President
Prof. Sebastian Lentz
Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig
T +49 34 160055 107
S_Lentz(at)leibniz-ifl.deVice President
Dr Martin Mittelbach
Senckenberg Society for Nature Research - Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN), Frankfurt am Main
T +49 69 7542 1470
martin.mittelbach(at)senckenberg.deVice President
Prof. Albert Sickmann
Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V., Dortmund
T +49 231 1392 100
sickmann(at)isas.deVice President
Prof. Barbara Sturm
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam
T +49 03 315699 100
director(at)atb-potsdam.deSpokesperson Section A
Prof. Cordula Artelt
Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi), Bamberg
T +49 951 70060 001
cordula.artelt(at)lifbi.deSpokesperson Section B
Prof. Clemens Fuest
ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich
T +49 89 9224 1430
fuest(at)ifo.deSpokesperson Section C
Prof. Iris Pigeot
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS), Bremen
T +49 421 21856 942
pigeot(at)leibniz-bips.deSpokesperson Section D
Prof. Thomas Schröder
Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), Berlin
T +49 30 63923 001
thomas.schroeder(at)ikz-berlin.deSpokesperson Section E
Prof. Frank Ewert
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg
T +49 33 43282 200
wiss.direktor(at)zalf.deSpokesperson Adminstrative Committee
Juliane Schmidt
Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW)
T +49 351 4659 200
j.schmidt(at)ifw-dresden.deSecretary General of the Leibniz Association
Dr. Bettina Böhm
T +49 30 20604 951
b.boehm(at)leibniz-gemeinschaft.deThe Senate supports and advises the Leibniz Association on research policy matters. It issues recommendations on both the strategic development of the Association and its member institutions and on increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of research and services.
The Senate develops criteria and procedures to safeguard and enhance the quality and performance of Leibniz Institutes.
In the context of the evaluation procedure, the Senate issues funding recommendations to the Joint Science Conference (GWK). To prepare its statements, the Senate set up the Evaluation Committee.
The Senate makes Leibniz Competition funding decisions. The Senate Competition Committee prepares these decisions.
The Senate also decides whether to approve projects for strategic networking grants and issues research policy statements on new members and major strategic expansions of Leibniz institutions. It is supported in these areas by the Senate Strategic Projects Committee.
The Senate is composed of the national and federal state government ministers responsible for joint research funding, the presidents and directors of German research organisations and additional optional members. The Senate generally meets three times a year in Berlin. The meetings are chaired by the President of the Leibniz Association.
The Senate established the Senate Evaluation Committee (SAE) in accordance with its statutes. It is composed of external members and is tasked with evaluating the institutions in the Leibniz Association at regular intervals and advising the Senate on all matters relating to the evaluation. SAE prepares resolutions and statements for the Senate on the basis of which the Federation and Länder review their joint funding.
SAE comprises academics who do not work at Leibniz institutions as well as members of the Senate and representatives of the central and federal state governments.
The Senate established the Senate Competition Committee (SAW) in accordance with its statutes. The SAW evaluates the applications submitted by Leibniz institutions according to criteria of scientific excellence. Applications are evaluated by at least two independent peer reviewers, whose assessments form the basis for the committee's selection of the best applications which it then recommends for funding to the Leibniz Association's Senate.
The Senate Competition Committee is composed of external experts; members of the Leibniz Senate; representatives of the German Research Foundation (DFG), the GWK Office and the German Council of Science and Humanities, as well as the federal and state governments; and representatives of the Leibniz Association's five sections.
Rules of Procedure of the SAW (PDF)
The Senate Strategic Committee (SAS) prepares the Senate’s statements on the admission of institutes to the Leibniz Association and on large-scale strategic expansions of Leibniz Institutes; it contributes to the research field review process. The SAS prioritises small-scale strategic expansions of Leibniz Institutes and prepares the Senate’s recommendations on overarching issues. Further, it prepares the Senate’s decisions in the funding line strategic networks (Leibniz Research Alliances and Leibniz ScienceCampi) and the Senate’s funding decisions regarding Leibniz Labs.
The President of the Leibniz Association is the chair of the SAS. The Senate Strategic Committee is composed of up to twenty external researchers appointed by the Senate as well as representatives of the Leibniz Association, the federal level, and the federal states. The secretary general of the Joint Science Conference (GWK) participates as a guest.
Admission and large-scale strategic Expansions (In German Only)
Header photo: LENA GIOVANAZZI/LEIBNIZ ASSOCIATION