Dr Joerg F. Maas is heading the German Reading Foundation (Stiftung Lesen) under the patronage of

the German President aligning public and private organisations and networks all focussing on education,

literacy and reading. Moreover, Dr Maas chairs EURead, the unique network of European reading

promotion and literacy organisations.

Dr Maas has worked as CEO of the German Foundation for World Population (Deutsche Stiftung

Weltbevoelkerung) and has taken an active part in several international committees of organisations in

the field of global health and development policy. Dr Maas was Senior Program Officer and European

Co-ordinator of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Seattle, USA) and served as CEO and President

of the German Research Foundation (Stiftung Jugend forscht).

Dr Maas studied Philosophy, educational studies, social sciences, Roman und German Studies in Bonn,

Berlin and Cologne and completed his doctorate in the field of history and philosophy of science at

FernUniversitaet Hagen and Harvard University. Dr Maas pursued courses non-profit and human

resources management at the universities at Harvard and Stanford.

Furthermore, Dr Maas widely published articles in the areas of education, public health, demography,

strategic perspective in non-profit organisations and new media in public health and education. He also

teaches non-profit management to students and executives.