Max Planck Society

The Max Planck Society is a formerly independent non-governmental and nonprofit association of German research institutes originally founded in 1911 as the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, but formerly established in 1948. Currently eighty three institutes support fundamental research regarding the natural, life and social sciences, the arts and humanities. The Max Planck Society is regarded as the foremost research organization across the globe, publishing more than 15 000 publications in scientific journals each year and boasting eighteen Nobel Laureates. More than six thousand foreign and junior researchers engage with the Society each year, the various institutes regularly hosting research groups and collaborating with universities. As a result of the gender equality based Minerva program, the Max Planck Society doubled the percentage of women among scientists, as well as provides mentoring programs and advanced training seminars in order to achieve its goals of gender equality.