In Germany, early career researchers have fewer opportunities than would be desirable to help shape the future autonomously and with the weight of institutions behind them. The content and structure of research and academic work is shaped by the judgement of the older generations and future plans are made from their perspective. As a result, significant intellectual resources are not utilised. The majority of outstanding research is carried out by early career researchers. However, they are generally not eligible for membership is academies. For elite young academics, there is therefore a lack of institutional support which follows the guiding principles of cross‐discipline academic discourse.

Die Junge Akademie makes important contribution correcting this imbalance within the German research system. It targets young academics with efforts to bridge the gap between generations helping elite researchers flourish ensuring flexible academic careers as well facilitating mobility. It shifts support for particularly capable young academics from the level of individuals and individual career paths to that of an entire community which shares its specialist expertise and finds its own paths towards a common dialogue. It creates an institutional framework which affords early career researchers to develop both the skills needed interdisciplinary discourse and specific interest in transdisciplinary issues as well as those lying at the interfaces between academic research and wider society. This allows them to develop their own political power within the world of academia as an instrument for rational intergenerational dialogue concerning the future of the sciences and humanities. On behalf of early career researchers, Die Junge Akademie acts as a negotiating partner and point of contact for German academia in a national and international context.

The parent academies Die Junge Akademie are the Berlin‐Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (Leopoldina). They are hosting the organisation and, in doing so, promote efforts to support young academics.

Die Junge Akademie has its headquarters at the BBAW in Berlin.

Die Junge Akademie is a joint project of the BBAW and the Leopoldina. It is autonomous with regard to the content of itsacademic activities and manages its own affairs under the overarching responsibility of the Presidents of the BBAW and the Leopoldina. Die Junge Akademie is not supervised by any body belonging to the parent academies. Its members have the status of Member of Die Junge Akademie at the BBAW and the Leopoldina. They elect one of their number to serve as Chair, with guest status on the executive boards of the BBAW and the Leopoldina as a representative of the Board.

Die Junge Akademie seeks to further the careers of the younger generation of academics. Its specific objectives are to promote academic discourse and cooperation between disciplines, to carry out projects of major academic importance, and to support initiatives at the interfaces between academic research and wider society. Die Junge Akademie is free to decide on the nature and location of its work.

Members are elected to Die Junge Akademie alternately by the BBAW together with the Leopoldina and by Die Junge Akademie. The BBAW and the Leopoldina, as well as Die Junge Akademie, are free to choose their election procedure. Members of the BBAW, the Leopoldina, and Die Junge Akademie are entitled to propose candidates. Candidates may also be sought through calls for applications. Unsolicited applications are possible.

Each member receives a one‐time, flexible budget. These funds must, as a rule, be utilised to support joint projects that serve Die Junge Akademie’s aims and objectives as described in Article 3. The use of the funds is subject to monitoring by the administrations of the BBAW and the Leopoldina.

Die Junge Akademie shall establish its own rules and regulations in agreement with the BBAW and the Leopoldina.

These statutes were drawn up by the parent academies. They supplement the cooperation agreement between the parent academies and Die Junge Akademie. They shall enter into force following ratification by the parent academies and shall replace the statutes dated 30 June 2000.