A Strong Network: Frankfurt Alliance
Frankfurt Alliance—after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in the Kaisersaal. (Photo: Peter Kiefer/Goethe University Frankfurt)
16 institutions from the greater Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region have joined forces in the Römer to form a new science network. The future cooperation in the Frankfurt Alliance was sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
The Frankfurt/Rhine-Main science region is characterized by a high density of research institutions that are already linked in many ways due to common research interests and numerous cooperation agreements. In order to meet the major challenges of the 21st century and work together on new solutions, cooperation is to be intensified: To this end, 16 institutions have now made the first step and joined forces to form the Frankfurt Alliance. This alliance comprises institutes from the four major scientific organizations in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region, as well as a federal institution and the Goethe University, and aims to create synergies and counteract the increasing segregation of work processes and research topics through networking and joint framework conditions.
The Frankfurt Alliance thus provides the basis for joint research and the transformation of scientific structures by simplifying the conditions for joint research, reducing existing obstacles in the respective administrations through overarching regulations, establishing joint structures and infrastructures and advocating the interests of Frankfurt's excellent scientists in the political arena. In addition, joint activities should promote closer ties between the institutions. The vision is to further develop the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region as a leading research location in Europe and to further increase its international recognition and attractiveness for top-level research.
The first joint public event of the Frankfurt Alliance will be a science festival in Frankfurt city-center on September 28: The participating institutions will then present themselves to the public at the Roßmarkt.
Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research: “I congratulate all those involved and also the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region on the founding of the Frankfurt Alliance. Especially in today's world, which presents great challenges but also opportunities, we need concentrated excellence and intensive cooperation more than ever. What has been created here has enormous potential. I wish the new science network every success.”
Timon Gremmels, Hessian State Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts: “Science and research are essential in order to master the transformation processes of our time and at the same time secure our democracy. This will be all the more successful if we join forces. The Frankfurt Alliance will make the outstanding research and transfer work in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region even more effective and visible - from internationalization and research infrastructures to personnel recruitment. The latter is an important step, especially in view of the increasing competition for the best minds in science. The Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts is therefore supporting the Frankfurt Alliance this year and next with a total of more than half a million euros.”
Mike Josef, Mayor of the City of Frankfurt, says: “The new science network is a great initiative that many people have been waiting for. Frankfurt is an excellent location for science and research, and the city needs to be further connected with this, and the initiative is an important step in this direction. Better networking of our science and research institutions, including at an administrative level, increases the attractiveness of the entire region, enabling us to better recruit and retain skilled workers.”
Dr. Bastian Bergerhoff, City Treasurer of the City of Frankfurt, is convinced: “An extremely strong alliance has come together here, which will boost Frankfurt as a science location and promote cooperation in the region. After all, science is also a driving force for the economy, culture and urban society and creates material and immaterial prosperity. Science is therefore a location factor in every respect. There is considerable potential here that can be put to even better use by working together.”
Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, President of Goethe University: “Today's signing of the Memorandum of Understanding is an important step on the way to even closer networking between our scientific institutions in Frankfurt. Together, we have unique potential to work on the important issues of the future and enter into a productive exchange with the public. I am already looking forward to the Science Festival in September! I am convinced that it will bring together many interested people from the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region and beyond with an exciting program and show how effective science in Frankfurt is for the economy, society and the formation of political opinion.”
The following are involved in the Frankfurt Alliance:
- DDIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education
- Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE
- PRIF – Peace Research Institute Frankfurt
- Senckenberg Society for Nature Research
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT
- Max Planck Institutes for Biophysics (MPIBP), for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA), for Heart and Lung Research (MPIHL), for Brain Research (MPIBR) and for Legal History and Legal Theory (MPILHLT)
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI)
- Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI)
- German Cancer Consortium - Frankfurt site (DKTK)
- Goethe University Frankfurt