German Alliance for Marine Research
Consolidation in one
joint association
DAM and KDM currently still exist as two organisations that were founded and are run with complementary tasks and objectives, but represent German marine research with a comparable focus.
The aim is to bring the two organisations together in a joint association and to bundle activities based on previous achievements and objectives so that German marine research is strengthened nationally and internationally and perceived as a single entity.
After a preparatory phase lasting several years, the members of both associations unanimously formulated their intention to merge at a joint meeting on 21 February 2025.
The concrete preparations for the merger - planned for autumn 2025 - are underway.
Ulrich BathmannChairman of the KDM Board of Management
Joachim HarmsChairman of the DAM Executive Board
Status: 11/03/2025
Background
The German Alliance for Marine Research e.V. (DAM) is an alliance of the federal government with the five northern German states Länder, with the aim of promoting and coordinating German marine research.
The tasks of the DAM are set out in an administrative agreement between the Alliance partners dated 18 July 2019. The goal of the German Alliance for Marine Research is to strengthen the sustainable use of coasts, seas and oceans through research, data management and digitisation, coordination of infrastructures and transfer:
- Research: Development and coordination of solution-oriented research missions on current, socially relevant issues with the aim of strengthening the sustainable use of coasts, seas and oceans.
- Data management and digitalisation: Support open access to marine research data according to FAIR principles (discoverable, accessible, interoperable, reusable). This is to be done in close coordination with and complementary to the activities of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) will take place.
- Coordination of infrastructures: Development of overarching concepts for the efficient use of existing research infrastructures (with the exception of research vessels).
- Transfer: Bundling the expertise of German marine research and transferring topics, research questions and results to politics, business and society.
The Alliance has 24 research-based member organisations.