The Institute for Economic Policy was founded in 1950 as an independent, economic research institute at the University of Cologne. Its founders were Prof. Dr. Alfred Müller-Armack, who had developed the concept of a social market economy (“Soziale Marktwirtschaft” in German), and Dr. h.c. Franz Greiß.
The primary objective of the Institute is the research of current key issues of economic policy. This means in particular problems of economic policy rules (including the concept of “Ordnungspolitik”) and regulative framework to keep functioning a social market economy.
The scientific and organisational management of the Institute is usually in the hands of two professors of Economic Policy with Chairs at the University of Cologne. A non-profit association of donors supports the Institute. Currently the Directors are Prof. Dr. Juergen B. Donges and former sectretary of state (Germany) Prof. Dr. Johann Eekhoff.

Click here for the Institute’s team.
Address of the Institute
Impressum of this website
To learn more about the life and work of Prof. Dr. Alfred Müller-Armack, read this article (in German, pdf format) by Prof. Dr. Hans Willgerodt.
For the history of the Soziale Marktwirtschaft in Germany click here for a discussion paper in English by Johannes R.B. Rittershausen.