The report begins with the challenges faced by Germany and other industrial countries in terms of demographic developments. While the risks and opportunities of aging and longevity have already been thoroughly discussed ("Aging in Germany") such a study on fertility development has not yet been carried out.

The aim was to combine, in an interdisciplinary fashion, data that has already been compiled with knowledge that is available and to prepare this for a wide political and social audience. In addition to recommendations for policy and for designing lifestyles, the future requirement of research and data collection is addressed.

The academy group "Fertility and Social Development" is interdisciplinary and international. It focuses on four aspects:

• The demographic analysis of fertility development (headed by Alexia Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Vienna, Austria)
• The sociological principles of fertility (headed by Martin Kohli, San Domenico di Fiesole, Italy)
• Medical and biological perspectives for fertility (headed by Wolfgang Holzgreve, Freiburg)
• Fertility and family policy (headed by Hans Bertram, Berlin)

The work focuses on Germany, Austria and Switzerland. By contrasting these countries with other European and non-European countries, causes and distinguishing characteristics of their demographic patterns can be established.

Institutions

• Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (responsibility)
• National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• Jacobs Foundation

Spokesperson of the Working Group

• Prof. Dr. Günter Stock, President
  Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften

Members

• Prof. Dr. Günter Stock (main responsibility), President
  Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften
• Prof. Dr. Jörg Hacker ML
  Former President of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina – National Academy of Sciences, Halle (Saale)
• Prof. Dr. Hans Bertram ML
  Lehrstuhl für Mikrosoziologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Prof. Dr. Alexia Fürnkranz-Prskawetz ML
  Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Wirtschaftsmathematik, Stellvertretende Direktorin, Vienna Institute of Demography. Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
• Prof. Dr. med. Wolfgang Holzgreve ML, MBA
  Universitätsklinikum Bonn
• Prof. Dr. Martin Kohli
  Professor of Sociology, European University Institute - Department of Social and Political Sciences, Italy

Members of the interdisciplinary Working Group

• Prof. Dr. Laura Bernardi
  Université de Lausanne, Faculté des sciences et politiques, Institut des sciences sociales, France
• Prof. Dr. Klaus Diedrich ML
  Universität Lübeck, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Klink für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe
• Prof. Dr. Joachim Dudenhausen
  Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Centrum für Frauen-, Kinder- und Jugendmedizin mit Perinatalzentrum und Humangenetik
• Prof. Dr. Josef Ehmer
  Institut für Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte der Universität Wien, Austria
• Prof. Dr. Gerd Gigerenzer ML
  Max-Planck-Institut für Bildungsforschung, Berlin
• Prof. Dr. Josh Goldstein
  Max-Planck-Institut für demografische Forschung, Rostock
• Prof. Dr. Ursula-F. Habenicht
  Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Forschung Women’s Healthcare, Berlin
• Prof. Dr. Johannes Huinink
    Institut für empirische und angewandte Soziologie, Universität Bremen
• Dr. Gerda Ruth Neyer
  Department of Sociology, Stockholm University, Sweden
• Prof. Dr. Ilona Ostner
  Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Dr. Dimiter Philipov
  Institut für Demographie, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Austria
• Dr. Tomáš Sobotka
  Institut für Demographie, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Austria
• Prof. Dr. Katharina Spieß
  Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung DIW, Berlin
• Prof. Dr. Ursula Staudinger ML
  Jacobs University Bremen
• Prof. Dr. Egbert R. te Velde
  Emeritus Professor Reproductive Medicine,, University Utrecht, Utrecht; Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands