Boards of Trustees

The Max Planck Society and its institutes depend upon the acceptance of the public and its willingness to support our research activities. The Boards of Trustees at the institutes aim to promote and enhance mutual understanding in their regions.

The Boards of Trustees seek to strengthen the relationship between the Max Planck Society and its institutes and the public - especially amongst groups interested in its research. They thereby assume a key role as ambassadors for institute affairs and foster interaction with the institutes’ scientific and social environments.

The key tasks of a Board of Trustees are to highlight an institute's achievements and to foster public trust in the work of autonomously organized research. Conversely, it also conveys external concerns to the institute, establishes contacts (also concerning financial support of the institute) and advises the institute and management of the Max Planck Society when major social and science-policy developments are imminent. The Board of Trustees hence play a key role for the advancement of the Max Planck Institutes.