Formally called the Society for Christian Democratic Educational Work that was founded back in 1955, it has borne the name of the first Federal Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, since 1964. As such, Konrad Adenauer and his principles define our guidelines, our duty and our mission, and we are politically affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany. However, similar to other political foundations, KAS is mostly financed by public funds and so we are financially and organisationally independent. In other words: we fulfil our tasks independently, autonomously and with an open mind.
Our primary concerns are strengthening democracy, the rule of law and personal responsibility at home and throughout the world, as well as promoting European integration and international cooperation.
The statute regulates the responsibilities and composition of the central foundation committees – the Board of Directors, the General Assembly and the Board of Trustees.
Under the auspices of the Board of Directors and the Executive Staff (which includes the Executive Board Office, the Media Centre and the ‘Strategy and Planning’ unit), and with support of the Service Centre (which combines Human Resources, Finance, ICT, Administration and Event Management), the external work of the foundation is divided among five divisions:
As a think tank of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the Division for Analysis and Consulting develops in-depth analyses and recommendations for action for national, European and international policy.
The Division for European and International Cooperation champions the promotion of democracy and rule of law across the globe.
The Division for Civic Education imparts basic political knowledge to the regional offices and educational forums.
The Division for Scientific Services / Archive for Christian-Democratic Policy (ACDP) researches and documents the history of Christian democracy.
The Division for Scholarships and Culture supports talented students as well as promotes art and culture.
To find out more, visit the KAS headquarters website.
