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Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance (iFQ)

Statutes

Section 1
Name and seat

The Society bears the name 'lnstitut für Forschungsinformation und Qualitätssicherung (iFQ)' [Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance]. The Society has its seat in Berlin.

Section 2
Purpose and realisation of purpose

The purpose of the Society is to promote science and research.

The purpose of the Statutes will be realised by the following in particular:

  • empirically backed analyses of the national and international science system,
  • the development of suitable analysis instruments,
  • conducting science-based evaluations,
  • contributions to theoretical further development of the field,
  • holding conferences and events.

The Society concentrates on the following five areas

  • indicators and methods,
  • evaluation,
  • research information,
  • analyses of the science system,
  • young talent and careers.

Apart from this, the purpose of the Society is achieved by:

  • contract research within the meaning of Section 68 no. 9 AO [Abgabenordnung – German Fiscal Code]
  • training young talent in the area of science
  • advising protagonists in the science system
  • prompt verbal and written publication of insights obtained
  • cooperation with national and international bodies and organisations that serve to shape and promote science.

Section 3
Non-profit status

The iFQ exclusively and directly pursues non-profit purposes within the meaning of the 'Tax-privileged purposes' chapter of the Abgabenordnung. The Society acts altruistically; it does not primarily pursue economic purposes of its own. The funds of the Society may only be used for purposes in accordance with the Statutes. The members do not receive any donations from funds of the Society. No person may be privileged by expenditure which is alien to the purpose of the corporation and by disproportionately high remuneration. The bodies of the iFQ can receive reimbursement of expenses associated with their work or remuneration to an appropriate extent.

Section 4
Financing of the iFQ

The financing of the iFQ is based on three pillars. Apart from the basic financing, the iFQ procures third-party funds for research projects and carries out contract research (in each case to an appropriate extent). Details are covered by the rules of procedure, which the Executive Committee adopts with the consent of the Board of Trustees.

Section 5
Membership

1. The following may become members of the Society
 
  1. organisations that promote science and research from public funds,
  2. associations of institutions of higher education or other research facilities financed from public funds,
  3. other organisations in the German economic system can become members insofar as they are of general importance and their activities in principle cover the entire territory of the Federal Republic of Germany. Individual institutions of higher education and other research organisations shall not, as a rule, become a member unless there are special circumstances in the individual case that make membership seem to make sense, such as in the case of joint appointments together with the iFQ.
2. No subscriptions are payable by members.
3. Once the number of members reaches seven, the Society shall be entered in the Register of Societies.

Section 6
Leaving the Society

Each member can end membership by leaving by means of a three-month period of notice. The written declaration ending membership shall be sent to the Executive Committee.

Section 7
Rights of members

1. Membership entitles the members to attend the General Meeting and exercise the right to vote.
2. A member can be represented by a proxy when resolutions are adopted. A written power of attorney is required. Represented members are deemed to be members who have attended.

Section 8
Financial year

The financial year is the calendar year.

Section 9
Bodies of the Society

The bodies of the Society are

1. the General Meeting,
2. the Executive Committee,
3. the Board of Trustees,
4. the Scientific Advisory Council

Section 10
General Meeting

1. The General Meeting is responsible for all matters of fundamental importance. In particular, it carries out the following tasks:
 
  1. election of the Executive Committee
  2. election of two members of the Board of Trustees
  3. appointment of the Scientific Advisory Board
  4. resolution on the medium-term financial planning over a four year period on the basis of a corresponding work programme
  5. resolution on the annual budget proposed by the Executive Committee arising from the medium-term financial planning,
  6. receipt of the statement of accounts and cash statement of the Executive Committee,
  7. resolution on approval of the actions of the Executive Committee,
  8. the decision on applications for membership of the Society
  9. the resolution on amendments to the Statutes,
  10. the resolution to dissolve the Society.
2. The General Meeting shall be convened at least once a year. The invitation must be sent to the members by the Executive Committee in text form at least one month in advance, stating the place, date and agenda. Furthermore the General Meeting shall be convened if the Executive Committee, at least two members of the Society or at least two members of the Board of Trustees call for this.
3. The members of the Board of Trustees shall be invited to the General Meeting in the way stated in no. 2; they shall attend the General Meeting without the right to vote, however with the right to address the meeting. They can make proposals to amend and/or supplement the agenda in the way stated in no. 5.
4. The General Meeting shall be chaired by the chairman of the Executive Committee. A minutes secretary shall be elected for each session, who shall keep a record of the meeting. The minutes of the meeting shall be signed by the minutes secretary
5. The agenda shall be set by the Executive Committee. Proposals by the members to amend and/or supplement the agenda must be received by the Executive Committee at least two weeks before the date of the General Meeting.
6. The complete version of proposals to amend the Statutes must be enclosed with the letter of invitation. Motions submitted by members to amend the Statutes must be received by the Executive Committee in sufficient time to comply with the one month period.
7. The General Meeting shall have a quorum if at least half of the members are present. In the event that no quorum exists, the Executive Committee shall convene a new meeting of members with the same agenda without delay; it shall have a quorum irrespective of the number of members present. Attention shall be drawn to this in the invitation.
8. The Meeting shall pass resolutions by a simple, absolute majority of the members present.
9. A majority of three quarters of all members shall be required for a resolution of the General Meeting to amend the Statutes.
10. The resolution on dissolution of the Society shall require a majority of three quarters of all members in order to be passed.
11. Upon the application of the Executive Committee or of the Board of Trustees the General Meeting can also make decisions using written procedure. Resolutions on dissolution of the Society cannot be made by means of written procedure.

Section 11
Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee within the meaning of Section 26 BGB [Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch – German Civil Code] consists of the chairperson and the deputy chairperson of the Society. The chairperson or deputy chairperson shall have the right to represent the Society alone in relations with third parties. Internally, the deputy chairperson may only exercise the executive office in the event that the chairperson is incapacitated.
2. The chairperson is the Scientific Director of the iFQ. Appointment to the position of Scientific Director by the General Meeting (Section 14) is simultaneously the election as the chairperson of the Executive Committee of the iFQ. The appointment to the position of chairperson of the Society shall also end upon termination of the contractual relationship between the Scientific Director and the Society. In the event that the position of Scientific Director of the iFQ is vacant, the chairperson of the Board of Trustees shall be the chairperson of the Society.
3. The deputy chairperson shall be elected from the group of executive employees of the iFQ by the General Meeting on the basis of a proposal made by the chairperson. At the proposal of the chairperson the deputy chairperson can be dismissed at any time by the General Meeting without stating grounds. The position of the deputy chairperson shall not be vacant for longer than six months.
4. The Executive Committee has responsibility for managing the iFQ in accordance with the Statutes and resolutions of the General Meeting and the Board of Trustees and shall represent the iFQ in and out of court.
5. The Executive Committee is obliged in particular to submit the budget, the statement of accounts and cash statement to the General Meeting annually as well as the medium-term financial planning and the work programme every four years.
6. Details shall be covered by the rules of procedure, which the Executive Committee shall adopt by a resolution with the consent of the Board of Trustees.

Section 12
Board of Trustees

1. The Board of Trustees of the iFQ has the role of a supervisory body. In particular, its task is to ensure an appropriate relationship between service and research activities at the iFQ. To achieve this it gives its consent to the four-year work programme and the medium-term financial planning before a resolution to adopt it is taken by the General Meeting. Further tasks of the Board of Trustees are:
 
  1. defining the contractual relationship between the Society and the Scientific Director of the iFQ,
  2. the resolution on amendments to the programme planning during the term unless these are so substantial that they require a resolution by the General Meeting.
The Board of Trustees does not have the right to set rules on the content of the scientific activities of the iFQ.
2. The Board of Trustees consists of
 
  1. a member delegated by the DFG [Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – German Research Association],
  2. a member delegated by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research,
  3. a representative of the Federal states from among the ranks of the Federal state representatives on the Joint Committee of the DFG,
  4. two further members elected by the General Meeting.
The chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Council shall attend meetings of the Board of Trustees in an advisory capacity.
3. The work on the Board of Trustees shall be ex officio for the members delegated, in an honorary capacity for the elected members.
4. The chairperson of the Board of Trustees is, as long as the iFQ is financed by the DFG as an auxiliary research organisation, a representative of the DFG. According to this the chairperson shall be elected from the ranks of the members of the Board of Trustees by a simple, absolute majority of the members present. The election shall take place every three years. Re-election is possible.
5. The ex officio members can be recalled at any time by the body that delegated them. In such a case, a new member will be delegated without delay.
6. The term of office of the members of the Board of Trustees is three years. Re-election is possible. In order to achieve a rolling system, the first term of office of a members elected to the Board of Trustees shall end after 1.5 years. This shall be decided by lots.
7. The Board of Trustees shall meet at least twice a year. The chairperson of the Board of Trustees shall convene the meeting in writing at least four weeks in advance, stating the agenda. The Board of Trustees shall have a quorum if at least three members of the Board of Trustees are present.

Section 13
Scientific Advisory Council

1. A Scientific Advisory Council shall be appointed. The Council shall have up to nine members. They shall be appointed by the General Meeting on the basis of a proposal put forward by the Board of Trustees. Their term of office is three years. Re-election is possible once. The majority of persons appointed shall be experts representing various disciplines from Germany and abroad who have experience in questions of research evaluation or analyses of the scientific system. A balanced proportion of men to women is envisaged.
2. The members of the Advisory Council shall work in an honorary capacity.
3. The Scientific Advisory Council shall elect a chairperson from among its members.
4. In order to achieve a rolling system, the term of one half of the members of the first Advisory Council to be elected shall end after one term of office. This shall be decided by lots at the constitutive session unless members of the Advisory Council declare that they will only be available for one term.
5. The Scientific Advisory Council shall play a key role in the quality assurance of the iFQ. Its remit is to evaluate the services of the iFQ and make recommendations for improving performance. Evaluations and recommendations of the Advisory Council shall relate to all questions of research by the iFQ that are of scientific relevance. These relate to the planning, realisation and execution of central projects as well as institutional framework conditions insofar as they affect the scientific performance of the iFQ directly. The Scientific Advisory Council shall carry out an audit between the external evaluations of the iFQ.
6. The Scientific Advisory Council shall provide consultancy on the four-year work programme.
7. The Scientific Advisory Council shall take part in proceedings to appoint the executive staff of the iFQ.
8. The Scientific Advisory Council shall meet at least twice year, and at least once at the seat of the Institute. The Scientific Director shall take part in sessions of the Scientific Advisory Council in an advisory capacity unless special reasons are in conflict with participation in the individual case. The Scientific Advisory Council shall report to the Board of Trustees and the General Meeting once a year.
9. The Advisory Council can set itself rules of procedure.

Section 14
Management of the Institute

1. The Institute shall be headed by the Scientific Director (Scientific Manager). The Scientific Manager shall be appointed by the General Meeting on the basis of a proposal put forward by the Board of Trustees by means of a simple, absolute majority of the members of the iFQ. The contractual relationship between the Scientific Manager and the iFQ shall be defined by the Board of Trustees.
2. The Scientific Manager of the institute shall be a proven scientific researcher. The Scientific Manager can structure the conceptual and methodological structure of his work at his discretion within the framework of the Statutes and the resolutions of the General Meeting and the Board of Trustees. Neither the General Meeting nor the Board of Trustees can prescribe the nature and way that the scientific work of the Scientific Director is carried out.
3. The scientific management should hold a relevant chair at a scientific institution of higher education in the context of a joint appointment. Details will be set out in a cooperation agreement between the institution of higher education and the iFQ to be concluded by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the iFQ.
4. The Scientific Manager is the supervisor of all the staff of the Institute.
5. Details shall be contained in the rules of procedure.

Section 15
External evaluation

The iFQ shall be evaluated institutionally every eight years by an independent body or evaluation group. Apart from the scientific work of the iFQ, the evaluation also includes structural aspects and the general scientific focus of the iFQ.

Section 16
Dissolution of the Society

In the case of dissolution of the Society or loss of tax-privileged purposes the assets of the Society shall be transferred to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e.V., which shall use them directly and exclusively for non-profit purposes within the meaning of their Statutes.

Section 17
Supplementary provisions

Insofar as provisions have been left out of these Statutes, the provisions of Section 21 ff. BGB shall apply in addition.

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