International evaluation confirms excellent quality of Helmholtz research

“The main subject of the extensive evaluation was scientific performance compared to international standards,” says Otmar D. Wiestler, President of the Helmholtz Association. “This evaluation process was unique for a German research organization in terms of its scope and intensity. I am therefore very pleased that we were able to impress the internationally renowned experts and convince them of our scientific achievements.” The extensive peer review combined the evaluations of the core funded research programs, usually involving several Research Centers as well as the evaluations of the Research Centers, including their research units and research infrastructures.

The results confirm that the Association conducts integrated, interdisciplinary, top-level research with a systematic approach. A broad spectrum of topics was covered, ranging from basic research to application. The reviewers recognized significant development in many subject areas since the last evaluation five years ago and attested to results of the highest scientific excellence in all six research fields for the funding period that is now coming to an end. “In addition to the impressive systems expertise, they highlighted the research infrastructures as an outstanding feature of the Helmholtz Centers,” says Wiestler. “These are magnets for national and international scientific communities and provide important impetus for research activities within our Association.”

Each of the 32 expert panels comprised of up to 42 internationally renowned members. During the reviews that lasted several days at the Centers, the reviewers took a closer look at the laboratories and the research infrastructures, and spoke with the researchers about their activities. “The feedback from the expert groups not only includes numerous recommendations on individual research topics,” Wiestler continues, “it also offers us important statements regarding the Helmholtz Association as a whole."

The experts now recommend further developing the research fields and programs. They see activities pertaining to information and data science and the development of greater expertise regarding artificial intelligence methods as central challenges for the entire Association. Sufficient scope should also be created for new ideas within the structure of program-oriented funding.

“Regarding our collaborations, the reviewers mention impressive regional, national, and international partnerships with universities and other institutions,” says Wiestler. The numerous joint appointments of scientists at universities and the Helmholtz Institutes, which promote strategic partnerships between research centers and universities, are exemplary for collaborations in the science system.

The experts recommended Helmholtz to strengthen its knowledge transfer to business and society. They believe it is just as important to apply research results quickly as it is to communicate scientific results to the public. In the individual research fields, Helmholtz could act as an even stronger strategic player, for example by developing roadmaps with partners from the respective research fields in order to support science-based policy advice. In promoting talent, the graduate schools and the successful recruitment of excellent international scientists in particular were rated positively. There is a general need for action in Germany to further promote diversity.

The results of the scientific evaluations present a starting point for the Association’s strategic orientation. Over the coming year, six international panels will review the plans for the new research programs and formulate strategic recommendations for the six research fields and their funding. These panels will then act as strategic advisory boards during the future funding period from 2021 to 2027.

The Helmholtz Association carried out this two-stage evaluation procedure for the first time in response to the German Science Council’s recommendations. Merging the program and Research Center evaluations, waiving interim reviews, and extending the funding period from five to seven years should make the overall procedure more efficient.

The results in detail:

www.helmholtz.de/begutachtung (all results in German)

www.helmholtz.de/en/research/programme_oriented_funding/

The Helmholtz Association contributes to solving great, pressing questions facing society, science, and business with top scientific performances in six research fields: Energy; Earth and Environment; Health; Key Technologies; Matter; and Aeronautics, Space, and Transport. With more than 39,000 employees at 18 Research Centers and an annual budget of € 4.5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest science organization. Its work follows the tradition of the great natural scientist Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894).

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