Discussion Forum of the Trustees

The Max Planck Society is committed not only to informing the public but also to fostering a lively dialogue. The Boards of Trustees of the Max Planck Institutes play an indispensable role in this.

In addition to local board meetings, centrally organized Discussion Forums invite the Trustees to engage in dialogue and provide feedback, whilst also offering opportunities for networking.

Since 2003, the Max Planck management has been using this exclusive format to engage regularly in direct exchange with the Trustees of the Max Planck Institutes – initially represented by the chairs and deputy chairs of the individual Boards of Trustees, and now involving the entire network.

Save the date

The 21^st Discussion Forum, including the supporting programme, will take place from 6.00 pm on Monday 2 November 2026 until 2.00 pm on Tuesday 3 November 2026, this time in Frankfurt am Main.
As a member of the Board of Trustees, you will receive an invitation with all the details as usual. We ask for your understanding that guests are not permitted.

Impressions of the Discussion Forum 2025

Numerous people in business attire are standing in a room with wooden flooring and modern lighting.

2025 Discussion Forum of the Trustees

On December 5th 2025, President Cramer and Secretary General Schwanitz welcomed

People gather in an industrially designed room with bar tables, large ceiling lamps, and window blinds.

more than fifty Trustees to the 20th Discussion Forum, this time in the heart of Munich.

Person in a suit giving a speech to an audience.

Following a science policy update from the Secretary General, the President spoke

Guests are standing and sitting at an event, a man raises his arm while speaking.

with Director Karsten Borgwardt and Project Group Leader Bernadette Stolz from the

Two men in suits are talking at a round table with drinks.

Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry on the nearby Martinsried campus about

“Mathematics, AI and Medicine of the Future” in keeping with the upcoming Year of Science.

A group, some wearing name tags, holds a blue cube in a room with art on the wall.

The guests were extremely impressed by the rapid developments and prospects

Man in suit and tie next to Max Planck labeled microphone cube, bottles, and glasses on table.

of this research, and at the same time, current challenges and desirable outcomes

for the Forum's key topic and fundamental issues as well were discussed lively.

Once again, it became clear that our Boards of Trustees

Several people in a room at an event, surrounded by tables with drinks, wooden flooring, and a large glass front. A microphone is visible.

are indispensable for the dialogue with the public: their members

Person holding microphone box from the Max Planck Society, glass in the foreground.

come from a wide variety of areas of our society and, through their office, gain insight

into our work. They engage with research topics, observe developments,

Event with participants in business attire and standing tables.

and gain an understanding of the concerns of researchers. In this way, the Trustees

Several people in business attire are standing in a room, chatting while drinks are on a table.

can help to ensure that these issues are understood and discussed by the public.

People at a networking event in a room with industrial lamps.

As ambassadors, they promote awareness that science is indispensable and part of our society.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the members of our Boards of Trustees

for their commitment - it makes a significant difference!

People are standing in a modern building with a spiral staircase, next to a large Christmas tree.

Following the Forum, Director Dietmar Harhoff invited interested participants

A group of people in formal attire are standing in a library with blue rolling shelves labeled with documents, located in a room with bookshelves.

to a guided tour of the library at the nearby Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

view from the side on a middle-aged man standing at a lecture stand, addressing an audience, seen in the background. behind the speaker, a projection screen is seen.

and also gave a captivating presentation on his highly topical field of research.

People gather in a modern conference room with large windows and chat during an event.

Finally, impressions of the day and the previous evening were discussed over lunch.

Technology presentation with a large screen showing a technical device; several people in the audience are watching attentively.

At the end of the quantum year, the Discussion Forum also included an exclusive tour of the

People are chatting in a lab with technical equipment and a decorated Christmas tree.

Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, where Director Immanuel Bloch invited the Trustees

Seven people are talking in a bright hallway with yellow doors in the background.

to attend lectures, tours and a networking reception on the evening of December 4th, 2025.

Several people in business attire converse at a standing reception at bar tables.

We would like to thank all participants for their time and commitment.

Impressions of the Discussion Forum 2024

A group of about 30 people in formal attire are standing on a staircase surrounded by brick walls and a stone archway.

2024 Discussion Forum of the Trustees

At the invitation of President Cramer and Secretary General Schwanitz

A group of people are standing in a brick room applauding a woman who is giving a speech.

to the annual network meeting of the Trustees of the MPIs,

Speaker in a historic building with standing tables and banners of the Max Planck Society.

some fifty members of the Boards of Trustees met on December 4th 2024

Male speaker in a historic building with standing tables and banners of the Max Planck Society.

in the historic lecture hall ruin on the Charité campus in Berlin.

A man in a suit is giving a speech in a room with rustic brick walls, while a woman stands at a table with informational material. Banners from the Max Planck Society can be seen in the background.

After a presentation on science policy by the Secretary General,

Group of people in a room with brick walls, following a moderated discussion.

the President's interview on the topic of AI and ethics

with Anne-Marie Nussberger from the MPI for Human Development

A group of people are listening to a lecture in a large hall with brick walls and tall windows; some are standing at round tables.

broadened the basis for the subsequent discussion in the Plenary Session.

Participants at an event chat at standing tables; drinks and notebooks on the table, brick wall in the background.

The Trustees were extremely interested in both

A man in a suit speaks at an event in a room with peeling plaster, a table with drinks stands next to him. A banner is visible.

the current concerns and pressing needs of the MPG and

A group of people are standing at bar tables chatting. In the center of the picture, a man in a dark suit and light shirt is holding a microphone and asking a question.

the highly topical research of the junior scientist.

Participants at an event chat at standing tables.

In line with the wishes of the President and the Secretary General,

In an industrial room with bare walls, a man in a suit speaks to a small audience and gestures with his arm to ask a question to another person. A woman stands next to him, her attention focused on the speaker.

the meeting provided a rich exchange of ideas

Listeners with their backs to the camera are looking at a man in the center of the frame who is holding a microphone and asking a question.

with the distinguished guests from a wide range of backgrounds.

Two people are standing at bar tables with Max Planck posters in the background.

After all, as much as science must be organized autonomously,

A group of people are standing in a room with brick walls, bar tables, and information posters.

it is just as important for the MPG not only to provide information

to the public, but also to actively engage in a lively dialogue

Two people in formal attire are standing next to each other. The woman is wearing a brown jacket, the man a blue suit. In the background is a brick wall, in the foreground a table with a bottle.

and to assume social responsibility. In this context,

Several people are standing in a room with historic brick walls, some are sitting at a table with drinks, while others are listening.

the Boards of Trustees of the MPIs are indispensable,

as their members gain insight into the research and provide feedback.

A group of people at a networking event in a historic room with large, illuminated windows and rustic walls.

Following the discussion forum, Arturo Zychlinsky,

A person is giving a presentation in a modern conference room. The audience is paying attention and the speaker is pointing to a picture of a cityscape on the screen. The windows offer a view of an urban area.

Managing Director of the neighboring MPI for Infection Biology,

A group of people gather in a modern, light-filled room with tall windows. Some are standing at bar tables, and the atmosphere is busy and sociable.

invited interested Trustees to join him for a tour of the Institute

Reception in a modern building with standing tables where guests can enjoy drinks and chat.

and to exchange ideas with the researchers there over lunch.

Groups of people chat at standing tables in a light-filled hall.

We thank all participants for their time and loyalty!