The Max Planck Alumni Association (MPAA) is a non-profit organization pursuing public-benefit purposes. The association is legally independent from the Max Planck Society, and it is registered at the Court of Charlottenburg with registration number VR35235B. The association has been established on 27 July 2016 and it has its seat in Berlin.

Groups

The MPAA acts as an umbrella organization, leaving space to its members to self-organize in internal, independent communities named Groups (often called Chapters in alumni organizations). Groups are internal communities of members sharing affiliation to the same Institute (MPI Group), city or geographical region (Regional Group), or sharing a common interest (Shared Interest Group). Each Group is equivalent to an independent association: its own membership, general meeting, board, funds and statute. It does however not need to be registered at the court, since bureaucracy and accounting is centralized for all Groups. Check out the existing Groups here (link).

Networks

Members can also organize in Networks, simplified and informal thematic communities, not featuring a statute or a general meeting.

Assembly

Each Group elects its Assembly delegates, to participate at the Assembly of the association. At the Assembly, delegates present and discuss the needs and activities of all Groups. The Assembly is the governing organ of the association. It is in charge of any major decision, as change in the mission and vision of the association, the planning of activities and priorities, election of Board members, amendments of the statute and dissolution of the association.

Board

The Board is responsible for the supervision and the execution of the decisions of the Assembly, the development of infrastructures, bureaucracy and accounting, public relations, and fundraising. The Assembly elects two Board members per year. The Board appoints two members per year, per special merits and experience, to complete the skills of existing Board members and to be able to operate with competence at any time.

Committees

The Programs and the decisions of the Assembly are directly executed by Standing Committees, each supervised by a Board member. Each Standing Committee supervises a department, composed of volunteers on a more sporadic basis. Periodic activities (like the organization of yearly events) and pilot projects are instead realized by temporary Ad-hoc Committees.