The IPN – Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education was established in 1966 as a research center for science education. It is affiliated with Kiel University. The department heads at the IPN hold professorships at Kiel University, one department head holds a professorship at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
The institute’s mission is to advance science and mathematics education through its research. Recently, it has also incorporated computer science education into its agenda. The institute’s research covers a full range of issues related to teaching and learning these subjects both in and outside of schools. The institute comprises seven academic departments: Educational Research and Educational Psychology, Educational Measurement and Data Science, Subject-Related Knowledge Transfer, Biology Education, Chemistry Education, Mathematics Education, Physics Education, and a Computer Science Education Research Group. The IPN employs more than 200 people, around 140 of whom are scientists, including 50 doctoral students.
The IPN conducts long-term and nationwide research and transfer projects, which cannot be carried out by universities.
The IPN’s research program focuses on the following areas:
- Domain-Specific Learning in Preschools and Schools
- Professional Competence and Learning of Teachers
- Science Communication and Extracurricular Learning
- Methodological Research and Machine Learning
The IPN’s transfer activities comprise various formats such as coordinating national and international student competitions in biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental issues, programs for teacher (educators) education, and publications for teachers and the general public.nd publications on science and mathematics education addressing teachers and scientists.
