Marion Weissenberger-Eibl is head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI). Since 2013, she has also held the Chair for Innovation and Technology Management at the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Technology Management and Innovation at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Her research focuses include innovation-conducive frameworks and their impacts, innovation management and strategic, technology-oriented foresight and planning.

Armin Grunwald is head of the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He also holds the Chair of Philosophy and Ethics of Technology at Karlsruhe University. As head of the Office of Technology Assessment (TAB), he advises the German Bundestag regarding issues pertaining to scientific and technological change. His research focuses on the areas of sustainability, technology assessment and ethics related to new technologies.

Eva Barlösius, professor for macrosociology and social structure analysis (since 2007) at Leibniz Universität Hannover, is head of the Leibniz Center for Science and Society (LCSS) at Leibniz Universität Hannover. Her research emphasis lies in the area of science research. The areas she covers include scientific infrastructures, concepts of scientific originality, data sharing, departmental research and scientific language.

Gabi Reinmann is head of the Hamburg Center for University Teaching and Learning (HUL). In her professorship at Universität Hamburg, she works to improve higher education teaching – via creative research and practically oriented commitment.

Marianne Merkt is head of the ZHH - Centre for higher education didactics and applied higher education research. Since 2012, she has held a professorship for higher education research and knowledge management at the Magdeburg-Stendal University. In her research, she focuses especially on professionalisation of higher education teaching and higher education didactics. In addition, she studies the institutional and cultural factors affecting prospective students with refugee backgrounds.

Prof. Dr. Peer Pasternack is Director of the Institut Hochschulforschung (Institute for higher education research) of Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg. He also teaches sociology. He lists his research emphases as "education and science in demographically challenged regions, higher education policy, organisational structures in the higher education sector, quality assurance and development [in the academic sphere], academic education and history of contemporary science."

Uwe Wilkesmann is Director of the Center for Higher Education (Zentrum für Hochschulbildung) at TU Dortmund University. He also holds a professorship at that university for organisational studies, continuing education and social management. His teaching emphases at the university include empirical social research, educational sociology and knowledge management.

Prof. Dr. Isabell Welpe has been scientific director of the IHF since 2014. The Institute supports Bavaria's policymakers and higher education institutions in their efforts to strengthen research and teaching capacities with regard to the aim of assuring the long-term health of the state's society and economy. As a researcher who studies strategy and organisations, Welpe finds it important "to study and help guide and shape higher education institutions, which are a key source of innovation."

Prior to joining the renowned International Centre for Higher Education Research (INCHER-Kassel), Prof. Dr. Georg Krücken held an endowed Chair for Science Organization, Higher Education and Science Management at the University of Speyer. Only five years later, in October 2011, he became Director of INCHER-Kassel.

Prof. Dr. Monika Jungbauer-Gans has been scientific director of the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW) since 1 September 2015. The DZHW studies the higher education and science system from a holistic perspective that takes account of all aspects of the system – including teaching, studies, doctoral degrees, continuing scientific education, research, knowledge transfer and innovation. Analysis of socially relevant topics is central to the Centre's profile.