GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences

GESIS is an independent, non-profit institute active in social research and academic consulting in numerous fields. GESIS integrates the former three German social science infrastructure institutes (IZ, ZA and ZUMA) into one entity. GESIS provides a variety of services related to data (archiving, provision, processing, research, social monitoring), methodology (consultation, developing complex methods), and specialized information (databases containing information on social science literature and research activities). GESIS publishes a journal specialized in survey methodology: MDA (Methoden-Daten-Analysen), German and English contributions are equally welcome.

GESIS runs the German General Social Survey, the German Longitudinal Election Study, is involved in the European Social Survey, the European Values Study, the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and others. GESIS is a founding member of ISSP and a former ISSP secretary.

GESIS is funded by the federal and state governments plus additional project funding. Of GESIS’s over 200 staff, two-thirds are involved in research and consultation. GESIS closely collaborates with the Universities of Cologne, Koblenz and Mannheim.