The Senate of the Leibniz Association recommends continuing the federal-state funding of the Leibniz Institute for Financial Market Research SAFE. The decision is based on an outstanding evaluation by a team of internationally renowned scientists who conducted the institute’s regular 2025 assessment. The Senate’s statement serves the Joint Science Conference of the federal and state governments (GWK) in reviewing the funding requirements.
The evaluation team particularly highlighted SAFE’s scientific performance. “SAFE can look back on an outstanding track record of scientific achievements”, states the evaluation report. All research departments were rated from very good to excellent. The institute’s research is characterized by high international visibility and an impressive publication record in leading international academic journals. “The institute has become, in a short time, one of the leading research institutes in the field of European financial markets.”
Leibniz institutes are evaluated regularly every seven years, forming the basis for joint funding by the federal and state governments. Seven years ago, SAFE’s evaluation as excellent by the German Science and Humanities Council and the Leibniz Association led to its inclusion in the Leibniz Association from 2020 onwards.
Strong research, infrastructure, and knowledge transfer
The evaluation report also highlights the institute’s interdisciplinary approach. In addition to integrating political and social scientists, the institute is particularly characterized by its close and highly successful combination of legal studies and financial research.
The transfer of knowledge was also highly praised. The SAFE Policy Center ensures that research findings are regularly incorporated into policy advice and made available to regulatory authorities. In addition to academic publications, the institute actively contributes to the economic policy debate through policy papers and public events.
In the coming years, the institute plans to expand its research in the field of “Sustainable Finance & Law” to better support the upcoming transformation processes and innovations in this area. A long-term focus is also on compiling and analyzing historical German financial data from the past 150 years to enable well-founded analyses of current and future challenges.
Scientific Director of SAFE, Florian Heider, comments: “Our outstanding publication record and interdisciplinary research approach have convinced the evaluators that we are particularly well-equipped to address the complex issues of European financial markets. The combination of financial economics, law, and political and social sciences allows us not only to analyze individual market mechanisms but also to systematically consider their interactions and the institutional framework. Thus, the positive evaluation confirms the strategic direction of our institute and encourages us to further advance our work toward robust and forward-looking financial markets.”
You can find the Senate's statement in the evaluation process here.
