In 2005, the Economic Region Nuremberg was admitted to the group of the eleven Metropolitan Regions in Germany. By now it has become part of the ten most influential centers in Germany. The Metropolitan Region consists of 21 administrative districts and 12 urban municipalities. An organizational model has been developed, which represents the council as being the central democratic element. According to the model, 51 district administrators and mayors decide on strategies of the European Metropolitan Area Nuremberg. About 400 stakeholders from throughout the whole Metropolitan Area co-operate in seven expert’s forums.

The Metropolitan Region Nuremberg has about 3.5 million inhabitants and 150,000 business companies, therefore it is a trendsetting center in Europe and has a significant international status. The Metropolitan Region impels different social, cultural, economic, technologic, and scientific developments.

The National Educational Panel Study is also a part of this network and shapes the education and research sites of the Metropolitan Region Nuremberg alongside with four universities, ten technical colleges, the conservatory Nuremberg-Augsburg and Würzburg as well as the academy of arts in Nuremberg. Therefore it makes lots of contributions to the scientific progress and the transfer of practice-relevant findings into society.