In 2002, shortly after the introduction of the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) program by the Max Planck Society, the Departments of Physics and Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart and the MPI-FKF and the MPI-IS launched the IMPRS for Advanced Materials (IMPRS-AM) as a major joint initiative on graduate education. This initiative was motivated by the realization that cooperation between the MPIs and the University is essential in the global competition for top graduate students. The IMPRS-AM has covered a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines encompassing solid state physics, solid state chemistry, and materials science. The interaction and cooperation among institutes, departments, group leaders, and students in the framework of the IMPRS has contributed greatly to the interdisciplinary spirit on the Stuttgart campus. The IMPRS-AM was conceived as a pilot project encompassing only a small fraction of the graduate students in materials research on the Stuttgart campus. After operation for two consecutive six-year funding periods, the IMPRS model is widely viewed as a success in the Stuttgart condensed matter science community.
