# Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik

> research institute

**Wikidata**: [Q1485969](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1485969)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/forschungszentrum-informationstechnik

## Summary  
Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik (GMD) was Germany’s national research institute for computer science, founded in 1968 and headquartered at Schloss Birlinghoven in Sankt Augustin. It operated until 2001, after which its activities were taken over by the Fraunhofer Society and became known as Fraunhofer IZB.

## Key Facts  
- **Founded:** 1968 【inception】  
- **Dissolved:** 2001 【dissolved,_abolished_or_demolished_date】  
- **Location:** Schloss Birlinghoven, Sankt Augustin, Germany 【location】【located_in】  
- **Short name:** Fraunhofer IZB 【short_name】  
- **Primary focus:** Research institute specializing in information technology and computer science 【instance_of】  
- **Successor:** Integrated into the Fraunhofer Society in 2001 【followed_by】  
- **Identifiers:** ISNI 0000 0001 2163 7404, GND 2147192‑7, ROR 02g6d4t03, VIAF 155590152 【isni】【gnd_id】【ror_id】【viaf_id】  
- **Affiliated scholars:** Raúl Camposano, Katharina Morik, Bernhard Schölkopf, Karl Aberer 【Affiliated with】  
- **Coordinates:** 50.787569 ° N, 7.1805 ° E 【coordinates】  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik?  
**A:** It was Germany’s national research institute for computer science, operating from 1968 to 2001 and known for pioneering work in information technology.  

### Q: Where was the GMD located?  
**A:** Its headquarters were at Schloss Birlinghoven in the town of Sankt Augustin, North Rhine‑Westphalia, Germany.  

### Q: What happened to the institute after 2001?  
**A:** In 2001 the GMD was dissolved and its research activities were transferred to the Fraunhofer Society, becoming the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Systems (Fraunhofer IZB).  

### Q: Which notable researchers were associated with the GMD?  
**A:** Prominent computer scientists such as Raúl Camposano, Katharina Morik, Bernhard Schölkopf, and Karl Aberer were affiliated with the institute.  

### Q: What were the institute’s main research areas?  
**A:** The GMD focused on information technology, computer science theory, artificial intelligence, and related engineering disciplines.  

## Why It Matters  
Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik played a central role in shaping Germany’s modern computing landscape. As the nation’s premier computer‑science research hub, it fostered breakthroughs in algorithms, software engineering, and artificial intelligence that fed directly into industry and academia. The institute attracted leading scholars—many of whom later became internationally recognized experts—thereby creating a talent pipeline that strengthened Germany’s tech sector. Its integration into the Fraunhofer Society ensured continuity of its research agenda, allowing the legacy of the GMD to persist within one of Europe’s most influential applied‑research networks. Understanding the GMD’s history illuminates the evolution of German ICT policy, the development of national research infrastructures, and the foundations of today’s high‑performance computing and AI ecosystems.  

## Notable For  
- **National mandate:** Served as the official German research center for computer science from 1968 to 2001.  
- **Prominent alumni:** Hosted internationally renowned scientists such as Bernhard Schölkopf (machine learning) and Katharina Morik (data mining).  
- **Institutional transition:** Its merger into the Fraunhofer Society created Fraunhofer IZB, preserving its research programs under a larger applied‑research umbrella.  
- **Strategic location:** Operated from the historic Schloss Birlinghoven, providing a unique campus environment for interdisciplinary collaboration.  
- **Extensive identifiers:** Recognized across multiple authority systems (ISNI, GND, ROR, VIAF), reflecting its global research footprint.  

## Body  

### History  
- **1968:** Established as the Gesellschaft für Mathematik und Datenverarbeitung (GMD) to coordinate German computer‑science research.  
- **1970s‑1990s:** Expanded into areas such as software engineering, high‑performance computing, and early AI research.  
- **2001:** Dissolved; core activities transferred to the Fraunhofer Society, rebranded as Fraunhofer IZB.  

### Location & Facilities  
- **Campus:** Schloss Birlinghoven, a historic manor repurposed for research labs and offices.  
- **Geography:** Situated in Sankt Augustin, near Cologne, with coordinates 50.787569 N, 7.1805 E.  

### Organizational Structure  
- **Legal form:** GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung) under the name GMD – Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik GmbH.  
- **Classification:** Listed as both a *research institute* and a *facility* in official registers.  

### Affiliations & Personnel  
- **Key researchers:**  
  - *Raúl Camposano* – Computer scientist, PhD from KIT (1981).  
  - *Katharina Morik* – German computer scientist, noted for data‑mining work.  
  - *Bernhard Schölkopf* – Pioneer in machine learning and AI.  
  - *Karl Aberer* – Austrian computer scientist and author.  
- These scholars contributed to the institute’s reputation and helped disseminate its research internationally.  

### Legacy & Impact  
- **Successor institution:** Fraunhofer IZB continues the GMD’s research lines, especially in computer architecture and software systems.  
- **Influence on policy:** The GMD helped shape German ICT research funding strategies and standards (e.g., ITU/ISO/IEC object ID 1.3.6.1.4.1.1115).  
- **Academic output:** Produced a substantial body of publications, many of which remain cited in contemporary computer‑science literature.  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik",
  "description": "Germany's former national research institute for computer science, active from 1968 to 2001 and later integrated into the Fraunhofer Society.",
  "additionalType": "ResearchInstitute"
}

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-05-22
2. HAL
3. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File