Stiftung Jugend forscht

The Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. is Germany's most well-known competition for young talent in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and technology (MINT). Founded in 1965 by the then editor-in-chief of Stern, Henri Nannen, the foundation aims to inspire young people in these fields, to discover talents early, and to promote them purposefully.

The main mission of the Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. is to support the education and promotion of young people in MINT subjects to ensure the future viability of our society. This is achieved by promoting creative, research-based learning that enables young people to become familiar with the tools of scientific work early on and to acquire methodological competence, which is part of the core qualifications of our knowledge society[1][3][5].

The competition is conducted in two age categories: "Jugend forscht" for young people between 15 and 21 years old and "Jugend forscht junior" for participants from the fourth grade up to the age of 14. The competition takes place on three levels: regional competitions, state competitions, and the national competition. Participants work on self-chosen projects from the MINT field and present their results through written papers, exhibition stands, and oral presentations[1][2][3].

The execution of the competition is supported by more than 170 patron companies and patron institutions, which are responsible for the organization and financing of the regional and state competitions. These companies provide spaces and exhibition stands, take care of the catering and accommodation for participants and jury members, and organize the award ceremonies and accompanying programs. This network ensures a broad societal anchoring and enables comprehensive support for young talents[1][4][5].

The Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. is closely connected with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as well as with the economy and science. The Federal Minister of Education is the chairperson of the foundation's board, and the Federal President is the patron of the competition. Through these partnerships and the commitment of the patron companies, it is ensured that the competition sustainably promotes young talents in the long term. Nine out of ten successful participants later study a subject in the MINT field and often work as scientists or executives in companies[2][3][5].

In addition to the competition, the German Young Researchers Network – juFORUM e. V. exists, which was founded by former participants to maintain contact beyond the competition. This network regularly organizes meetings and events for Jugend forscht participants and is open to all young people interested in science and technology[2].

Thus, the Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. is a central player in the promotion of young talent and makes a significant contribution to the development and support of young talents in the MINT subjects.

• 1 - https://www.jugend-forscht.de/teilnahme/wichtige-infos/teilnahmebedingungen.html
• 2 - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jugend_forscht
• 3 - https://www.jugend-forscht.de
• 4 - https://www.jugend-forscht.de/netzwerk/partner/patenunternehmen.html
• 5 - https://www.jugend-forscht.de/stiftung-jugend-forscht-e-v.html