Statutes of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities

(1) The Academy’s purpose is to conduct and promote research. It informs the public and advises policy makers on science-related issues.

(2) The Academy fosters interdisciplinary academic dialogue among its members and collaborates with learned societies and academic institutions both in Germany and abroad. It is a forum for discourse, focusing on interdisciplinary exchange and the communication of scientific findings to the general public and political decision-makers.

(3) As a research institution, it carries out scientific projects, supports the research of its members and, in specific cases, also the research work of non-members, and encourages such work. It also supports junior researchers. Research at the Academy focuses in particular on generating fundamental disciplinary and interdisciplinary scientific insights. A particular focus is placed on long-term research projects.

(1) The Academy is a body governed by public law. It has assets of its own and uses both an official seal and a personal seal.

(2) In fulfilling its purpose, the Academy exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the ‘tax-privileged purposes’ section of the German Fiscal Code.

(3) It enjoys the protection and support of the Free State of Bavaria.

(1) The members of the Academy comprise ordinary members, corresponding members, extraordinary members and honorary members.

(2) The governing bodies of the Academy are plenum, the Sections, the Executive Committee and the President.

The Academy holds elections to co-opt new members. Only researchers whose work goes beyond the mere communication or application of existing knowledge and instead has made a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge may be elected as ordinary or corresponding members. 

(1) Ordinary members must be living or working in Bavaria. The maximum number of ordinary members who have not yet reached the age of 70 is 120 in total.

(2) Ordinary members are required to participate in the Academy’s work and meetings. They are the only members who are entitled to vote.

(3) Ordinary members who have reached the age of 70 are exempt from the obligations set out in the first sentence of paragraph 2 and are not included in the maximum number specified in paragraph 1.

(4) Ordinary members who are living and working outside Bavaria acquire the status of corresponding members. If they return to live or work in Bavaria, they will once again become ordinary members.

(1) Any person who is neither living nor working in Bavaria may be elected as a corresponding member. The maximum number of corresponding members of the Academy is 120 in total.

(2) Corresponding members are entitled to participate in the academic discussions of all the Academy’s meetings.

(1) The directors of major scientific institutions in Bavaria may be elected as extraordinary members by the plenum. Members of the Young Academy as defined under Section 26 and leaders of junior research groups as defined under Section 27 acquire the status of extraordinary members for the duration of their funding.

(2) Extraordinary membership ceases upon the termination of the leadership role or the termination of membership. Section 6(2) applies mutatis mutandis.

Individuals who have made special contributions to the Academy may be elected as honorary members, even if these contributions are not related to scientific research. The President, in consultation with the Executive Committee, proposes suitable candidates to the plenum. Proposals may also be put forward to him or her by members.

(1) A member may resign from the Academy by submitting a written notice to the President. It is not possible for an ordinary member to change their status to that of a corresponding member by means of a declaration.

(2) At the request of a Section, a member may be expelled by a resolution of the plenum if they have proved themselves unworthy of membership through serious misconduct. The resolution must be passed at a plenary meeting by a majority comprising more than half of all ordinary members and at least three-quarters of those present. The member concerned must be given the opportunity to make a written or oral statement to the Executive Committee before the plenum reaches a decision.

(1) The members of the Academy shall meet at least three times a year for joint meetings (general meetings). The Academy’s meetings are intended to be a focal point of its academic activities and provide an opportunity for all members to discuss ideas and suggestions.

(2) A public ceremonial meeting is held annually, at which the President presents the annual report and a member delivers the ceremonial address. The Academy may hold additional public meetings.

(1) The ordinary members of the Sections together form the plenum. It

1. advises and decides on academic and administrative matters which,     in accordance with the Statutes or by virtue of their general importance and particular significance, must be submitted to the plenum,
2. elects the President and new members,
3. adopts the Statutes, the Rules of Procedure of the Academy and, in accordance with these Statutes, other regulations of the Academy,
4. decides on the awarding of the Academy’s prizes, insofar as the relevant statutes confer this responsibility upon it,
5. decides, in consultation with the Executive Committee, on the establishment, extension and termination of research projects and institutes,
6. approves the annual budget,
7. elects the members of the research committee, and
8. adopts decisions on all other matters assigned to it by these Statutes.

(2) The President may convene plenary meetings at any time. If requested by at least ten ordinary members, he or she must convene a plenary meeting.

(3) Unless otherwise specified, resolutions of the plenum shall be adopted by a simple majority of the members present. In the event of a tie, the chairperson shall have the casting vote.

(1) The institution of scholars is divided into the following Sections:

Section I: Humanities and Cultural Studies
Section II: Law, Social Sciences and Economics
Section III: Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Technology
Section IV: Natural Sciences, Life sciences and Medicine

(2) The Sections meet either jointly with other Sections or individually, depending on the task or research topic. The Sections hold meetings at which academic presentations are given and discussed, and at which matters concerning the Section are discussed and decisions are taken. The Sections discuss, in particular, membership matters relating to their respective fields and the co-opting of members.

(3) At joint meetings, where matters requiring a decision are to be discussed that concern only individual Sections, voting must take place separately by Section. Programme committees are set up to prepare for the Section meetings. Further details are set out in the Rules of Procedure.

(4) The participating Sections shall decide on the establishment, expansion and dissolution of project committees and project advisory boards, as well as priority areas within their respective fields.

(5) Each Section may comprise a maximum of 30 ordinary members who are not retired and who are entitled to vote and stand for election in that Section, as well as retired members and a maximum of 30 corresponding members.

(6) Each member belongs to the Section that proposes their co-option and is entitled to vote and stand for election within that Section. Any member may choose to join additional Sections. In these other Sections, the member is not eligible to stand for election or to vote.

(7) Each Section is led by a Section spokesperson (secretary), who is elected by the Section for a term of three years. The Section spokesperson is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Section. The Section spokesperson is also the Vice-President. He or she convenes the meetings of the relevant Section, chairs them and implements the decisions. A deputy is elected for each Section spokesperson.

(1) The President, the four Vice-Presidents and the General Secretary constitute the Executive Committee of the Academy. The Executive Committee assists the President in the performance of his or her duties. The Executive Committee is responsible for all tasks not assigned to other bodies or committees of the Academy.

(2) In particular, it shall decide on

1. the timing of project evaluations,
2. quality assurance measures in research,
3. the preparation of the draft budget for the two-year budget period, the implementation of the budget,
4. the management of the Academy’s assets,
5. approval of the staffing and resources provided for in the budget,
6. the deployment of Academy representatives to external and associated institutions, and
7. the awarding of the Bene Merenti Medal and the Medal of Merit.

(1) The Academy is headed by the President. He or she must be an ordinary member of the Academy. Once the necessary budgetary arrangements have been put in place, he or she will be able to hold the position on a full-time basis.

(2) The President manages the day-to-day affairs of the Academy. He or she represents the Academy, as a statutory body, in and out of court. He or she is the superior of the civil servants and other public sector employees working at the Academy, with the exception of the General Secretary. He or she acts as the employer in relation to the Academy’s staff (civil servants). He or she is responsible for maintaining undisturbed possession of the Academy’s premises.

(3) The President chairs the meetings of the Executive Committee, the plenum and the general meetings, and issues the invitations to these meetings.

The President shall be represented, by mutual agreement, by a Vice-President, who shall be appointed on a case-by-case basis. If the President is unable to appoint a deputy, the Vice-President with the longest service shall act as his or her deputy. The Vice-President is the person elected by the Section as its spokesperson. 

(1) A General Secretary shall be appointed to assist with the Academy’s affairs. The General Secretary is responsible for the administration of the Academy and acts as the budget officer within the meaning of Section 9 of the Bavarian Budget Code (BayHO).

(2) The General Secretary is a member of the Executive Committee with voting rights on all matters that are not exclusively academic. He or she attends the plenary meetings in an advisory capacity.

(1) The Academy carries out research projects either independently or in collaboration with university or non-university research institutes. Research within the Academy is generally carried out in the form of projects.

(2) Each project is usually overseen by a project committee and a project advisory board. A project advisory board can oversee several projects.

(1) Each of the Academy’s research projects is managed by a project committee appointed by the relevant specialist Sections, acting as an organisational unit without legal personality. The project committee comprises the project leader, usually three other researchers with relevant expertise, and at least one full-time research associate working on the project. At least two of the scientific experts should be members of the Academy.

(2) The project leader chairs the project committee; as the person responsible, he or she manages the resources available to the project and is the immediate superior of the staff assigned to the project; he or she directs and supervises the implementation of the work plan, in consultation with the project committee, and manages day-to-day operations. He or she reports regularly to the project advisory board and the relevant Section spokesperson, and to the research committee upon its request, on the progress of the project work.

(1) The project advisory board advises the project committee on matters relating to the maintenance of academic standards. In its meetings, it also coordinates the research activities in the respective field and organises interdisciplinary working groups. A joint project advisory board may also be established for project committees working on related topics. The project advisory board regularly updates the research committee on its work.

(2) The members of the project advisory board are Academy members with the relevant expertise, as well as other external researchers. It is chaired by an Academy member.

(3) Where independent research institutions are affiliated with the Academy through cooperation in specific fields of research, the heads of the participating institutions shall be appointed as members of the relevant project advisory board.

(4) The tasks of the project advisory board may also be carried out by other bodies. Further details are set out in the Rules of Procedure.

(1) Project committees and project advisory boards from related research areas may join together to form a focus area. The focus areas are established by the relevant Section, or jointly by several Sections, in consultation with the Executive Committee. The members are appointed by the relevant project advisory boards.

(2) The aim of a focus area is to coordinate the research activities of the project committees and project advisory boards within a particular field of science, and to identify and consolidate new areas of research. At the same time, the aim is to raise the Academy’s profile, enhance the visibility of its research, and strengthen the capacity for collaboration between research projects, as well as with universities and non-university research institutes.

(1) The Academy may operate institutes, which are generally non-autonomous bodies.

(2) The institutes may be allocated their own budget item in the statutory body’s budget. The institutes manage their own business affairs. They may adopt Rules of Procedure, which must be consistent with these Statutes and the Academy’s Rules of Procedure.

(3) An advisory board shall be established for each institute. The provisions of Section 19 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

(4) The Commission for Bavarian History at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, together with its associated institutes, promotes systematic research into and the study of Bavarian history across all parts of the state, across different historical periods, in an interdisciplinary manner and within a European network. It adopts its own Statutes and has its own budget item in the statutory body’s budget. It manages its business independently and adopts Rules of Procedure.

The Leibniz Supercomputing Centre is an academy institute that provides IT services and carries out research and development for the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities and other institutes of the Free State of Bavaria. Section 21 applies mutatis mutandis.

The Walther-Meißner-Institute for Low Temperature Research is an institute of the Academy which, in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) and other Bavarian universities and institutes, carries out research and development work in the field of low-temperature physics and technology, as well as providing training and facilitating technology transfer in these areas. Section 21 applies mutatis mutandis.

Each Section, or several Sections jointly, may set up ad hoc working groups for short-term projects, focusing in particular on topical research trends. The working groups are made up of members of the Academy as well as external researchers. They are appointed to the working group by their respective Section. Each working group elects a chairperson and a deputy chairperson. Further details are set out in the Rules of Procedure.

(1) The research committee advises the Executive Committee, the plenum and the Sections on decisions concerning the direction of research within the Academy. In particular, it prepares decisions on the initiation, termination, implementation and evaluation of research projects.

(2) It consists of 12 Academy members who adequately reflect the Sections and their range of disciplines. Members are elected by the plenum for a term of four years. Re-election is possible. The committee members elect the chair and the deputy chair. Further details are set out in the Rules of Procedure.

(1) The Young Academy of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities was established to support the next generation of young scientists and to strengthen cooperation with Bavarian universities and other research institutes in Bavaria.

(2) Through the Young Academy, the Academy supports the research work of outstanding young academics by awarding a research grant.

(3) Members of the Young Academy have the status of extraordinary members of the Academy for the duration of their funding.

(4) The Executive Committee decides on all matters relating to the Young Academy. Please refer to the Statutes of the Young Academy and the Rules of Procedure of the Young Academy.

(1) The Academy may establish junior research groups either independently or in cooperation with other research institutes in Bavaria.

(2) The decision on whether to establish a junior research group is taken by the plenum on the recommendation of the relevant Section, in agreement with the Executive Committee.

(3) The heads of the junior research groups have the status of extraordinary members of the Academy for the duration of their funding.

(4) Further details will be set out in Statutes and Rules of Procedure for the junior research groups, which are yet to be adopted.

(1) In particular, the Academy publishes meeting minutes and studies, as well as publications arising from its research projects.

(2) Ordinary and corresponding members are entitled to submit their own work for publication by the Academy. The plenum decides on their inclusion in the studies on the recommendation of the relevant Section. The relevant Section decides whether to include them in the meeting minutes.

(1) The Bene Merenti Medal, in gold, silver or bronze, may be awarded to individuals who are to be honoured for outstanding contributions to the Academy and its objectives, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee and by resolution of the plenum.

(2) The Academy may, by resolution of the Executive Committee, award the Silver Medal of Merit to members and staff, as well as former staff members, who have demonstrated a special commitment to the Academy’s cause.

The Free State of Bavaria allocates the staffing and resources needed by the Academy to carry out its tasks, and provides suitable premises, in accordance with the state budget. Unless otherwise specified, the budgetary and economic management of the Academy shall be governed by the relevant state regulations. 

(1) The Academy’s budget (operating budget) forms the basis for the management of the statutory body’s revenue and expenditure.

(2) The budget must include estimates of all the Academy’s revenue and expenditure. The annual budget, which also sets out the total subsidy from the Free State of Bavaria as determined by the state budget, is approved by the plenum. The Executive Committee draws up the draft budget for the two-year budget period.

(3) A budget committee advises the Executive Committee on its decisions. Further details are set out in the Rules of Procedure.

Full-time researchers at the Academy elect, via secret ballot from among their number, two spokespersons each from Sections I, II, III and IV (the committee of spokespersons). The committee of spokespersons is authorised to deal with academic matters vis-à-vis the Academy’s Executive Committee, without prejudice to the powers of the staff council. It convenes an annual meeting of the full-time researchers at the Academy.

(1) The President is elected by the plenum from among the ordinary members for a term of three years. The term of office begins at the start of the calendar year following the election. Re-election is permitted twice. A debate may take place before the election. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the relevant State Ministry.

(2) In the event of the President leaving office before the end of his or her term, a new President must be elected within three months.

(1) In preparation for elections, preliminary election committees shall be established in the individual Sections, as well as a central election committee. The committees provide guidance on the need for additional members and are available to offer advice and coordination.

(2) The election of members consists of preliminary elections, preceded by a preliminary discussion within the Sections, and the election by the plenum. Further details are set out in the Rules of Procedure.

(3) Candidate proposals may only be submitted by ordinary members.

(4) Elections by the plenum take place on the basis of the preliminary elections during a plenary meeting of the ordinary members (electoral meeting). A debate on a nomination is permitted before the vote. However, no one can be elected unless they have been elected in a preliminary election. The election requires a two-thirds majority of the members present.

Proposals for the election of honorary members may be put forward to the plenum by the President, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The election is held by the plenum. 

The Section spokespersons and their deputies are elected from among the ordinary members of each Section by a majority of the valid votes cast by that Section for a term of three years. Re-election is permitted. The provisions of Section 33(2) shall apply mutatis mutandis to the election. 

The Academy shall adopt Rules of Procedure, which must be approved at a plenary meeting by a two-thirds majority of the members present and may be amended in the same manner.

(1) Resolutions to amend the Statutes require the approval of at least two-thirds of the members present when the resolution is passed.

(2) Members belonging to the Academy at the time these Statutes come into force shall, following their entry into force, submit a declaration stating which Section they wish to belong to with the right to vote and stand for election, and which other Sections they wish to belong to.

(3) These Statutes, as well as any subsequent amendments, shall enter into force on the day following their publication on the Academy’s website, following adoption by the Academy’s plenum and approval by the relevant State Ministry.

(4) Upon the entry into force of these Statutes, the Academy’s Statutes of 1 March 2010, as last amended on 1 July 2011, the Academy’s Rules of Procedure of 1 July 2010, and the Rules of Procedure for the scientific Commissions of 19 February 1988 shall cease to have effect.