Munich, 8 December 2015 - Ifo President Hans-Werner Sinn has won the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers’ (Deutscher Hochschullehrerverband) "Professor of the Year" prize. Commenting on the award, President of the Association, Professor Bernhard Kempen, said: “Hans-Werner Sinn is an academic with an utterly rational approach and is an absolute stranger to political opportunism. As Germany’s most-cited economist, he is one of the country’s foremost thought leaders in the political debate.”
In response to the announcement Sinn said: “I am delighted to receive this award. Economics is supposed to serve society and it can only do so if economists participate in the public discourse.”
Sinn stands for impartial, scientific expertise, added Kempten. “He is a free thinker with strong opinions and an independent voice of warning outside the political mainstream whose arguments spark and fuel debate.” In topical issues like the euro crisis, for example, there is no avoiding Sinn’s position. “The “Professor of the Year” award honours Sinn’s exemplary work as a politically-active professor, who plays an important role in the public debate in several areas of social policy,” noted Kempten. In his view, Sinn has contributed significantly to increasing public respect for the position of economist and professor.
The prize of 10,000 euros will be awarded to Sinn on 4 April 2016 at the “Gala der Deutschen Wissenschaft” in Berlin. Sinn holds the Chair for Economics and Public Finance at the University of Munich, he is President of the Ifo Institute and head of the international CESifo researcher network.
Press release LMU (German)
Press release Leopoldina (German)
Website Deutscher Hochschulverband (German)