At the official opening of the Adenauer School of Government (ASG), Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered the keynote speech in the main lecture hall of the main building and subsequently took part in a discussion with the audience. Following the welcome address by the Rector of the University of Cologne, Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, the Minister for Culture and Science, Ina Brandes, delivered a welcome address on behalf of the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia. Professor Dr Axel Ockenfels, the founding director of the ASG, also addressed the audience.
“The Adenauer School of Government combines excellence in research and teaching with a commitment to making a tangible contribution to strengthening democratic institutions. Its research profile and future teaching programme will make a valuable contribution to the University of Cologne. Our research strength and our interdisciplinary approach create the ideal conditions for its success,” said Rector Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee.
The ASG is a research institution that brings together expertise in economics, law, technology, and public policy to strengthen the democratic common good. Its work focuses on how government processes, strategic decision-making and their implementation in public governance can be made more evidence-based, interdisciplinary, and effective. In doing so, it combines internationally competitive research with high-quality, innovative teaching and close engagement with the worlds of politics, society, and business. The ASG’s mission is to strengthen the capacity of democratic institutions to respond effectively to technological and societal change and to develop solutions to the challenges of our time.
The ASG Founding Faculty Network and the ASG Scientific Advisory Board already comprise approximately fifty academics from the University of Cologne and leading institutions worldwide, including four Nobel laureates.
A key element of the academic programme will be the English-language Master’s degree programme in Public Governance, which will be launched in the winter semester 2027/28 and will be offered free of tuition fees. Through interactive formats, students will collaborate with experts from academia and the professional world to develop solutions to specific challenges in public governance. Students will also acquire a solid grounding in methodological skills, including data science and artificial intelligence, providing the basis for evidence-based and analytically rigorous policymaking. The application process is expected to open in the spring of 2027.
The Adenauer School of Government is committed to becoming a leading European institution for democratic governance in a society shaped by data and technology. It sees itself as a place where academic excellence, talented students and political practice come together – with the aim of making a lasting contribution to strengthening democratic institutions in Europe.