Likewise, policy makers - whether industrial managers, academic administrators or funding authorities - miss to communicate with this diverse community to discover its directions, priorities and opportunities.

In order to promote and facilitate communication and cooperation between the materials societies, efforts have recently been made to build up a sort of a clearing house while fully respecting the identity of the contributing societies. This will increase their public visibility and their political impact to the benefit of their members. It will hence create an atmosphere in which young talents increasingly return towards the professions and industries associated with them.

This joint effort requires a forum on which the multilateral parties can meet to exchange ideas and to organise societal activities - the congress Materials Science and Engineering. There is every indication that MSE will finally be supported by the majority of the German Materials Societies MSE will cover a broad range of materials subjects that are put out for a Call for Papers in Germany and beyond. This is why the prime language of the congress will be English. But specific topics for particular target groups will be presented in German. MSE will take place biennially in the new congress centre CCN-Ost of the Nürnberg fairgrounds.

Following its intersocietal approach, MSE will offer to accomodate any kind of technical and non-technical side event referring to research funding, educational programmes, general assemblies, etc.

So far, the initial event will be supported by 16 materials societies. Further societies are welcome to join.

• http://www.mse-congress.de