Exchange on the Future of the JRF at the General Assembly in Cologne
At the General Assembly of the Johannes Rau Research Association, held at the Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne, key strategic topics of the network were discussed. The General Assembly is the central decision making body of the JRF and brings together the 14 member institutes as well as the Ministry of Culture and Science of the state of North Rhine Westphalia twice a year to address joint goals, developments and future directions. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. habil. Andrea Kienle.
As a member of the Johannes Rau Research Association, AMO GmbH is actively involved in this strong research network in North Rhine Westphalia and continuously contributes to its further development. We therefore particularly appreciated the in depth and forward looking discussions during the meeting.
A special highlight for us was the successful evaluation of AMO GmbH, which was acknowledged during the session. We are proud of this achievement and see it as a strong confirmation of our work. At the same time, we are pleased to continue contributing to the strength of the JRF and its future development.
In addition to the evaluation, several important topics were addressed, including the welcome of the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bastian Hartmann, a review of past JRF activities and events, and an outlook on upcoming initiatives and formats. The Board was also formally discharged for the 2025 financial year.
A central focus of the meeting was the discussion of the future strategic direction of the JRF. This included reflections on the role and added value of the network, a shared vision for its development, and ways to further strengthen its visibility. Another important aspect was how to best reflect the diverse strengths and challenges of the individual member institutes within the association.
The General Assembly provided an excellent opportunity for open and constructive exchange on the future of the JRF. We thank all participants for the valuable discussions and shared perspectives and look forward to continuing this dialogue and actively shaping the future of the network. We also extend our thanks to the team at EWI for their hospitality and the insightful introduction to their work.
