The gates are wide open

Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln took office as President of the WZB in a festive ceremony on September 4. Jutta Allmendinger had headed the institute for 17 years. Farewell and new beginnings attracted many guests from politics, science and society to the handover of office at the WZB - and to the subsequent party in the garden on this balmy September evening.

The gates are wide open, Jutta Allmendinger emphasized at the beginning of the ceremony. And they were. Change and continuity, Berlin as a science location and international appeal, transfer and excellent research at the WZB were praised, wishes for the future with the new president Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln were shared. In the speeches of guests, the WZB and Berlin as a science location were celebrated alongside the previous and the new president.

In 2010, Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln had already stood at the podium in the WZB event hall - during her first keynote speech. In her inaugural speech, the economist made it clear how well positioned the institute was. Social science research is more important than ever, she said, because the current crises are so broad and fundamental that they are challenging people's social coexistence in many different ways. They made “interdisciplinary cooperation between the various social sciences under one roof at one institute urgently necessary”, said the WZB President.  In addition, cooperation with the Berlin scientific community is immensely important, as demonstrated, for example, by BR50, the alliance of non-university research institutes, and the Berlin University Alliance - but of course also the transfer and cooperation with business and society. The new president's wish and goal is: “The WZB is predestined to play a leading role in the creation of social science diagnoses for our time, if not the leading role in Europe.”

Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin, and Ina Czyborra, Senator for Science, Health and Nursing of the State of Berlin, emphasized Jutta Allmendinger's extraordinary services to the WZB, but also to the Berlin scientific landscape. Both were pleased that the WZB had succeeded in winning Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, an excellent and internationally recognized researcher, for the office of President. Chairman of the Board of Trustees Jochen Zachgo, Head of Department at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, explained how important the basic scientific research carried out at the WZB is in order to contribute objectivity to the discussions surrounding social crises. Above all, the international comparative perspective must be cultivated. Günter M. Ziegler, President of Freie Universität Berlin, spoke in a witty speech about the 112 scientific lighthouses in Berlin, which now have a new lighthouse keeper. Martina Brockmeier, President of the Leibniz Association, made it clear that the WZB is a prime example of the goals of the Leibniz Association.

In her speech, outgoing President Jutta Allmendinger formulated 11 wishes for the science system. Among other things, she emphasized the importance of trust in science and the role of curiosity, competition and cooperation in science.

And at the very end, a red carpet was rolled out for the new President - an atmospheric picture that will go down in WZB history.

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