Leading position: Kiel Institute excels in Leibniz Evaluation

The report documents that research at the Kiel Institute regularly produces excellent results and is published in renowned academic journals. At the same time, many studies have a significant impact beyond academia: they receive broad media coverage and shape economic policy debates at both the national and international levels. The institute’s involvement in the Joint Economic Forecast is also particularly recognized as a key contribution to economic policy advice in Germany.

“The extremely positive evaluation by the Leibniz Association confirms our goal of combining scientific excellence with concrete policy impact,” says Moritz Schularick, President of the Kiel Institute. “The fact that our research is so widely recognized in both academia and in the political and public spheres is a great success for our entire team.”

The institute’s ongoing development is also explicitly praised. Traditional core topics such as international financial markets and trade are successfully complemented by innovative research areas, including geoeconomics, defense economics, and climate economics. This combination strengthens the Kiel Institute’s international visibility and relevance in a sustainable way.

Another focus of the evaluation is the expansion of research infrastructure. With the “impressive Data Hub,” the institute provides high-quality, regularly updated datasets that are used internationally and make an important contribution to the transparency and reproducibility of scientific research.

Structurally, the Senate acknowledges a convincing development of the institute. The organization into five research centers—two rated “excellent” and three “very good to excellent”—creates clear thematic priorities while promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. This structure is complemented by strategic initiatives on key global topics such as Africa, China, globalization, and geoeconomics.

“Our structural reforms are working, and we have created a strong, internationally competitive research environment—as reflected in the very positive evaluations of our research centers,” says Moritz Schularick.

The report also specifically mentions the establishment of the Berlin office, which has strengthened the institute’s presence in the political arena and intensified direct and regular exchanges with policymakers. Another highlighted area is the acquisition of third-party funding, in which the Kiel Institute has made significant progress: the share of third-party funding now accounts for around 35 percent of the total budget, particularly due to a substantial increase in EU funding.

The modernization of governance structures is also positively noted, especially the new personnel model with joint appointments at universities and the internationally oriented ASP doctoral program. According to the report, the Kiel Institute also offers very good working conditions for non-academic staff, maintaining well-trained and highly motivated supporting personnel.

“The evaluation results confirm that we are on the right track,” emphasizes Schularick. “Since our assessment in fall 2025, we have already taken important additional steps: a sixth Geoeconomics Research Center has been approved, we have launched a Defense Economics initiative, and the first cohort of our new Hirschman Postdoc Program will begin in fall 2026.”

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy is Germany’s leading research institute for international economic issues and ranks among the most respected institutions in Europe and worldwide. It combines top-level research on par with leading universities with visible and lasting influence on international economic policy. Founded in 1914, the institute is a member of the Leibniz Association and is primarily funded by the federal government and the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The Kiel Institute has locations in Kiel and Berlin.