Max Planck Society

Many people believe there is only one Max Planck Institute, but in fact there are 84. They are spread out all over Germany and some are even in other countries. They are all part of the Max Planck Society, but conduct independent research.

The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, MPG) was founded on February 26, 1948, and is the successor organization to the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, which was established in 1911.

The currently 84 Max Planck Institutes conduct basic research in the service of the general public in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. Max Planck Institutes focus on research fields that are particularly innovative, or that are especially demanding in terms of funding or time requirements. And their research spectrum is continually evolving: new institutes are established to find answers to seminal, forward-looking scientific questions, while others are closed when, for example, their research field has been widely established at universities. This continuous renewal preserves the scope the Max Planck Society needs to react quickly to pioneering scientific developments.

With 84 institutes and 31 Nobel Laureates, the Max Planck Society ranks among the world’s top scientific institutions.

Its success is rooted in the Harnack principle: Max Planck Institutes are organized around outstanding researchers who freely define their scientific focus and shape their teams. This person-centered approach fosters groundbreaking discoveries in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

The Society continually evolves. With over 15,000 publications annually, many highly cited, the Max Planck Society delivers insight that drives long-term progress.