Academy

The Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina has been the German National Academy of Sciences since 2008. It scientifically reviews and addresses key issues of prospective significance for society. The Academy operates irrespective of political and economic objectives. Its findings are conveyed to policy makers and the public alike, and nationally and internationally advocated.

The National Academy of Sciences is organized as a registered association (“e. V.”). The Academy is governed by a Board of Directors and a Presidium. All aspects of its management are governed by the Articles of Incorporation, the Rules of Procedure, and the Election Regulations.

The Leopoldina is represented at locations in Halle (Saale) and Berlin. The Academy's headquarters, archive and library are located in Halle (Saale). In Berlin, it maintains offices and seminar rooms for contact with research communities, funding initiatives, professional associations and federal politics. Together, the two locations reflect the current work of the Leopoldina as the National Academy of Sciences and its long history as the German Academy of Sciences.

On January 1st, 1652 four physicians − Johann Lorenz Bausch, Johann Michael Fehr, Georg Balthasar Metzger and Georg Balthasar Wohlfahrth − establish the Academia Naturae Curiosorum in the Free Imperial City of Schweinfurt. It is now the oldest continuously existing academy of medicine and the natural sciences in the world. The four physicians invite leading scholars of their day to join them in “exploring nature [...] for the glory of God and the good of mankind.” The selected motto for this ambitious objective is „Nunquam otiosus“ (“never idle”).

The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina maintains numerous co-operations in Germany and internationally. Providing joint advice to politics and society is just as much a goal as promoting dialogue between science, the media and the public.

The Young Academy was founded in 2000 on the initiative of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW). It was based on the conviction that young scientists need more opportunities to develop freely and help shape the scientific system.

The Global Young Academy (GYA) was founded in 2010 on the initiative of more than 100 young scientists from 40 countries. The mission of the GYA is to provide a rallying point for young scientists and promote international and interdisciplinary exchange. The administrative office is located at the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Halle (Saale).