The joint initiative of the Universities of Bonn and Cologne are funded as a Cluster of Excellence within the German Excellence Strategy. The goal of the cluster is to advance a new paradigm for the analysis of markets and public policy in light of fundamental societal and technological challenges.

The Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI) is one of Europe’s leading research institutes in the field of energy economics. Focusing on energy markets and infrastructures, the institute is especially competent in issues regarding the electricity, coal and natural gas markets, particularly with the use of complex simulation models.

GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences is the largest European infrastructure institute for the social sciences. GESIS offers advice, expertise and services at all stages of scientists’ research projects. With this support, socially relevant questions can be answered based on the latest scientific methods and high-quality research data.

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies conducts basic research on the governance of modern societies. It aims to develop an empirically based theory of the social and political foundations of modern economies by investigating the interrelation between economic, social and political action.

Initially founded as a Max Planck institute for investigating the provision of collective goods, the institute has developed into an international hub whose research focuses mainly on applied economics and on behavioural law.