CSI – About us

The profile of the CSI                   

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Interdisciplinary, international approach

At the present time, the solution of complex tasks of foundations, social enterprises or nonprofit organizations can only be achieved through a consistent cooperation of social sciences (civil society, policy analysis), law (charitable law, foundation law), economics (management), and theology and ethics (normative foundations ). The CSI therefore implements a cooperation of the socio-economic, economic, legal and theological faculties of the University of Heidelberg. In addition to this interdisciplinary approach, the CSI's work emphasizes an international approach and works with centres in Europe, the US and other regions.

Transdisciplinary cooperation with the practice

In communicating its research results, the CSI and its team members not only follow the path of the usual formats of communication and transfer. The Centre also collaborates in innovation formats with other actors in science, policy and practice from the very beginning, linking social research with social innovation impulses for practice. Such formats of cooperation are e.g. Real-World Laboratories, System Innovation Labs, or Intralabs for the entrepreneurial, strategic development of individual organizations.

Partnerships and cooperations

As part of the Max-Weber-Institute for Sociology, the CSI is part of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences. In addition, there are cooperative relationships with the Faculty of Law and the The Institute for the Study of Christian Social Service of the University of Heidelberg as well as other individual institutes and professors.

Since 2016, the Max-Weber-Institute has received basic funding from the university for the CSI. The core funding of the CSI in its development phase as a Central Research Institution at the University (until 2015) was based on funds of the Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation, the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, the Deutsche Bank Foundation, the Gemeinnützige  Hertie Stiftung, the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft and only to a small extent from the University of Heidelberg. In addition, a number of other foundations and partners sponsored individual research and application projects, including but not limited to: the Generali Future Fund, the Mercator Foundation, the Bertelsmann Foundation, the Gulbenkian Foundation, the Compagnia di San Paolo, the Fondazione Cariplo, and the Rijksbanken Jubileumsfonds.

ungsprojekte sind drittmittelbasiert; zu den Förderern zählen die Europäische Union, Bundes- und Landesministerien, Stiftungen, Wirtschaftsunternehmen, Wohlfahrtsverbände, Organisationen der Zivilgesellschaft sowie die DFG.

Team of the Centre for Social Investment

PostDocs & Research Associates

Photo credit:
Photos by Stanislava Schwalme