With the support of the Alfred Landecker Foundation, the University of Cologne is establishing the Adenauer School of Government (ASG) – a new centre for Public Policy, Governance and Administrative Sciences.
The School is an independent academic institution and will receive permanent funding, starting with an annual budget of ten million euros. The School will be headed by WiSo Professor Dr Axel Ockenfels. “The Adenauer School brings together cutting-edge research, forward-looking teaching, and interdisciplinary discourse to create a place where solutions can emerge,” says Ockenfels. “The major challenges of our time – declining social cohesion, diminishing international cooperation, economic crises and technological upheavals – demand fresh thinking and responsible decision-making.”
In addition to establishing the School as a central academic institution and preparing a study and research programme, the University will also initiate its first appointment procedures over the coming months.
In accordance with the cooperation agreement concluded on 5 June, the ASG aims to establish itself as a leading, non-partisan centre for Public Policy, Governance and Administrative Sciences, actively shaping key developments in economics and related disciplines.
Dr Peter Harf, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Alfred Landecker Foundation, stated: “In a time of major social, foreign and security policy challenges, and of profound change in Germany's role within Europe, responsible and scientifically grounded governance is of critical importance to the future viability of our country. In the Anglo-Saxon tradition of government schools, the Adenauer School will make a significant contribution to research and teaching, educating future decision-makers in an academically excellent, interdisciplinary and practice-oriented environment. This new School will be more than just a place of learning – it will be a powerful lever for change and impact. In doing so, it will strengthen the values of freedom and democracy, and promote a vibrant culture of debate within our society.”
The Rector of the University of Cologne, Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, emphasised: “With the founding of the Adenauer School, the University of Cologne sharpens its profile in both research and teaching. This generous endowment enables us to attract internationally leading scholars to Cologne in order to develop solutions to pressing societal challenges and to design forward-thinking teaching concepts.” With its internationally renowned research, outstanding teaching offerings and proximity to Brussels and Paris in the heart of Europe, the University of Cologne is ideally positioned to realise this extraordinary initiative by the Alfred Landecker Foundation.
According to Ina Brandes, Minister of Science for North Rhine-Westphalia, the Adenauer School of Government fulfils all the criteria to become a new flagship for the state’s scientific community. Konrad Adenauer, through his wise and courageous statesmanship, shaped the city of Cologne and Germany like no other. “Especially in times of upheaval such as we are currently experiencing, we need research and teaching in Public Policy, Governance and Administrative Sciences that looks beyond the boundaries of individual disciplines,” Brandes said.
We would like to thank the Alfred Landecker Foundation, and wish Professor Ockenfels all the best in his new position.