Visit of a delegation from the National Research Foundation of Korea

Discussion about the operation and organisation of a Max Planck Institute

A delegation from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) visited the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing on 31 August 2022 to learn more about the operation and organization of a Max Planck Institute. Yungchul Kim, Secretary General of NRF, was accompanied by Bee Yun, Director of the Department of Social Sciences of NRF, and Won Keun Choi, Secretary General of the Korean Innovation Center in Berlin. During the discussion, various principles underlying the Max Planck Society were explained.

The Harnack Principle, which strives to provide outstanding, creative and interdisciplinarity-minded scientists the scope for their independent scientific development, and the conviction of the Max Planck Society of selecting "people above projects and programmes" raised considerable interest. Max Planck Research Group Leader Ina Huppertz and Jun Yong Kim from the Department of Mitochondrial Proteostasis used their concrete research topics and experiences to explain how these principles have a beneficial effect on their specific work. It was agreed to continue the exchange in the near future.