Hamburg, 30 January 2018. The Science Council assesses the scientific quality of the Hans-Bredow-Institut and its supra-regional significance as "very good", its structural relevance for the scientific system as "excellent". The Science Council adopted a corresponding opinion at its meeting on 26 January 2018 and published it online today. The committee of the Joint Science Conference (GWK) had asked the Science Council in September 2016 to examine whether the Institute should be included in the joint funding of the Federal Government and the Länder. “We are very happy about the opinion of the Science Council. With the positive vote, a decisive step has been taken in the direction of an admission to the Leibniz Association ", says Director Wolfgang Schulz, welcoming the decision.
“We would like to thank our employees in particular - the evaluation phase was not an easy one, but it was worthwhile. We would also like to express our gratitude to the City of Hamburg; the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research and Equality has given the Institute optimum support in every phase," Uwe Hasebrink, Director of the Institute, points out.
Key Statements of the Scientific Council:
- “As an internationally highly visible and renowned research institution, the Hans-Bredow-Institut for Media Research is distinguished, on the one hand, by its important scientific contributions to research into public communication and, on the other hand, by its impressive quality and scope of transfer services for the media, the public and politics. The Bredow-Institut succeeds in consolidating current social and political discourses by means of a scientifically sound analysis and in helping to shape them through empirically informed regulatory proposals.”
- “The Institute works actively at a high level of reflection and with very innovative research approaches on the unique selling points that are based on tradition, some of which are also linked to these in a spirit of revision. The Institute reacts with high speed and agility to social and scientific developments and is an important source of impulses for scientific and practical, but also political and public discussions
- “The unique combination of communication studies and law studies is inscribed at the Hans-Bredow-Institut for each individual project and is also institutionally lived in an exemplary way by the staff in academic exchange, mutual inspiration and joint project work.”
- “Since the research objects of the Bredow-Institut are located in one of the currently most dynamic social fields, the Institute's unique research approach in Germany is of great relevance, which is clearly reflected in the demand for the Institute's expertise and in the transfer of research into politics, the media and the general public. The Bredow-Institut also holds a leading position at the European level. Due to its reputation, its scientific expertise and its good national and international networks, the Bredow-Institut is in a very good position to meet this demand for expertise in the future.”
In April, the Joint Science Conference (GWK) will decide on the admittance of the Hans-Bredow-Institut into the joint funding by the Federal Government and the Länder. A positive decision would be followed by negotiations with the Leibniz Association. The accession of the Institute would be possible in 2019.
Contact
Christiane Matzen, Tel. 040 450 217 41,
E-Mail
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 www.wissenschaftsrat.de.
Information on the Hans-Bredow-Institut
The Hans-Bredow-Institut is investigating media change and the associated structural changes in public communication. Cross-media, interdisciplinary and independent, it combines basic science and transfer research to create problem-relevant knowledge for politics, business and civil society. More information at www.hans-bredow-institut.de.
