"The Hertie School of Governance was formally founded as a private, non-profit institution late in 2003 by the Hertie Foundation and was established as one of the first professional schools for public policy in Germany. By offering programmes emphasising academic excellence and practical orientation in the reunified capital of Berlin, the Hertie School of Governance became a unique educational institution in Germany. The Hertie School began by organising panels, symposia, and discussions, thus providing a platform where policy-makers, professionals, and practitioners from the media, NGOs, and business engage with academia. In February 2005, the School was granted official state recognition and given the authority to award the academic title Master of Public Policy as an institution of higher learning by the Berlin Ministry of Science, Research, and Culture (Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur)."