Scientific Committee

The Scientific Committee consists of a maximum of eight members. It includes the Managing Director and seven external scientific experts. The external members work on an honorary basis. Sponsors and supporters of the foundation are not represented on the Scientific Committee, nor are they informed about its deliberations. They are not entitled to contest the decisions of the Scientific Committee.

The Scientific Committee has, among other duties, the following tasks and competences: Elaboration of the call for proposals, evaluation of the incoming project proposals, decision on the allocation of the research funds and, if necessary, consultation of external experts as well as external representation of the scientific decisions. Potential conflicts of interest between members of the Scientific Committee and project applicants are taken into account. The funds of the foundation are awarded completely independently of its sponsors and supporters, based solely on scientific criteria.