Partner Description

The Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (Münster University) is one of the major research centres in the country and one of the largest universities in Germany. More than 44 000 students are enrolled in 13 departments. Research activities for the Third Sector Impact Project are carried out by the Institute for Political Science, which is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. The Institute stands out for its gender balance at faculty level. In the last decade, it has developed expansive expertise related to third party governance and volunteering. The Institute is strongly involved in a Master Program on Non-profit Management and Governance; it also participates in the national strategy of the German government to strengthen civic engagement. Furthermore, since 2012 the Institute serves as the umbrella of an interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies that particularly focuses on the European level of governance.

The Institute for Political Science of the MU has played a leading role in European related research activities by active participation in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Framework Programs: Research and Training Network „Women in European Universities“ (WEU), the Network of Excellence „Civil Society and New Forms of Governance“ (CINEFOGO), the Network of Excellence „Global Governance, Regionalisation and Regulation: The Role of the EU“ (Connex), the network „Third Sector European Policy“ (TSEP), and the research project „Welfare innovation at the local level (WILCO).

Münster University serves as the prime partner in the consortium in Germany. However, for specific tasks, the Münster team will co-operate with the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB), the Institute for Non-profit Law at the Bucerius Law School, Hamburg, and the Network for Civic Engagement, Berlin.
http://www.uni-muenster.de/IfPol/index.shtml

Role in Third Sector Impact

  • Main responsibility: Research on internal and external barriers to third sector development.
  • Additional responsibility: Scientific and administrative management; conceptual integration of project findings and work on the final report; stakeholder engagement; dissemination of results.