Difference between revisions of "Mensa Germany"

From Mpedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(→‎Mensa in Deutschland e.V.: Board oif drectors)
(Rewriting the article to a substantial degree to provide more information and to update it; I'll be doing a couple of more edits but wanted to commit the current changes.)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Mensa Germany''', or '''Mensa in Deutschland e.V.''' ("MinD"), was founded in 1979 and has around 8.500 members (= 3rd largest national Mensa group worldwide), runs various local groups and organizes a large number of gatherings. The average age is 34 years. Around 31 percent of the membership are female.  
+
'''Mensa Germany''', or '''Mensa in Deutschland e.V.''' ("MinD"), was founded in 1979 and currently has around 8.500 members in good standing, thereby constituting the 3rd largest national Mensa chapter worldwide. It runs various local groups and organizes a large number of gatherings. The average age is 34 years, roughly 31 percent of the members are female.  
  
== Mensa in Deutschland e.V. ==
+
== Mensa in Deutschland e.V. Governance ==
  
Mensa in Germany, usually called "MinD", has its office in the Munich area which is run by [[Cirsten Novellino]]. MinD has a board of five voluntary directors each of whom is elected for a two year term. The current chairman is [[Hermann Meier]]. The other members are [[Tina Acham]], [[Matthias Moehl]], [[Martin Weiß]] and [[Jens Wiechers]]. Last election was at the AGM 2010, all five positions are up for election at the AGM 2012.
+
Mensa in Germany, usually abbreviated to "MinD," has a board of five voluntary directors, each of whom is elected for a two year term. The current chairman is [[Hermann Meier]]. The other members are [[Tina Acham]], [[Matthias Moehl]], [[Martin Weiß]] and [[Jens Wiechers]].  
 +
 
 +
MinD employs [[Birgit Rosenthal]] as its directive-bound executive director and has offices run by [[Cirsten Novellino]] in the Munich area.
 +
The last full election was held at the AGM 2010 in Dortmund, the next is scheduled for the AGM 2012 in Dresden.
  
 
== Membership ==
 
== Membership ==
  
Individual annual membership costs €44. The membership package includes a bimonthly magazine called [[MinD-Magazin]] - better known as Mind-Mag - and a regional newsletter, in German language: [[Ortsblatt]]. Chief editor of the Mind-Mag is [[Nicolai Meyer]].
+
Individual membership costs €44 p.a. The membership includes a bimonthly magazine called [[MinD-Magazin]] (commonly abbreviated to "MinD-Mag").  
  
 
== Testing ==
 
== Testing ==
  
In Germany there is no tradition of IQ-scoring for school or university admission purposes. Thus taking the Mensa IQ Test is the usual way to become a member. More than 3000 test are taken each year. Around 40 percent of the candidates pass and 70 to 80 percent of those qualified subsequently decide to join Mensa. Mensa Germany uses an integrated web based IT-solution for test management, registration, billing, scoring and communication.
+
Usage of IQ-Tests for purposes other than clinical psychology is relatively uncommon in Germany and while there is some acceptance of the validity of IQ tests, there is also a considerable degree of skepticism as to the overall significance of the concept.
 +
 
 +
In recent years, there has been some positive change to the public perception and a number of private Universities as well as scholarship granting organizations have adopted IQ tests or closely related cognitive tests as an admission criterion; publicly funded job centers have also begun to regularly use cognitive tests to screen job seekers and the (recently) unemployed to determine the suitability for certain careers or occupational retraining.
 +
 
 +
Nevertheless, when two publicly funded Universities waived tuition fees for students who had a verified IQ above 130, the public and media reaction was largely negative and the programs were terminated in 2007 (University of Konstanz) and 2009 (University of Freiburg) respectively.
 +
 
 +
The Mensa IQ tests is therefore the most common way for prospective members to qualify for admission and more than 3000 test are taken each year.  
 +
Of those who attempt the test, roughly 40 percent meet the criterion and between 70 and 80% subsequently join Mensa, suggesting a very high degree of self-selection.
 +
 
 +
To deal with the complex requirements and the sheer amount of data, Mensa in Germany has been using an integrated IT-based solution for registration, test management (including scoring), billing and internal member communication for many years.
  
 
== Regions ==
 
== Regions ==
  
Mensa Germany is subdivided into several regions, each led by a [[LocSec]] (= Local Secretary). Larger regions have usually an own Ortsblatt which reports mainly about local activities but most offer also national and international news.  
+
Mensa Germany is subdivided into several regions, each led by a [[LocSec]] (= Local Secretary).  
 +
 
 +
== MinD-Mag ==
 +
 
 +
The MinD-Mag is a magazine published on a bimonthly schedule and serves as one of the primary avenues of communication among the membership. [[Nicolai Meyer]] serves as the editor in chief, heading a team of volunteers who compile and edit the materials to be published.
 +
The magazine, with the exception of those contents concerned with the internal business of the society, is also made available to the public free of charge on the MinD website.
  
 
== Ortsblätter ==
 
== Ortsblätter ==
  
In Germany a total of 16 Ortsblätter (= regional newsletters) are published. Each has a unique character and is run by an [[Eddi]] (= editor) or an Eddi-team. Many Ortsblätter are magazines rather than newsletters. Eddi-Coordinator is [[Baki Sinanoglu]].  
+
In Germany a total of 16 Ortsblätter (= regional newsletters) are published. Each has a unique character and is run by voluntary Editors, colloquially referred to as [[Eddis]].
 +
Many Ortsblätter can be considered as magazines in their own right rather than newsletters. The editors are coordinated by [[Baki Sinanoglu]].  
  
 
*[[Augusta]] for Augsburg and the surrounding area
 
*[[Augusta]] for Augsburg and the surrounding area
Line 57: Line 75:
 
== Regular Events ==
 
== Regular Events ==
  
There are many regional and nationwide events of Mensa Germany. In all major cities there are meet-ups every month. Furthermore there are a couple of annual gatherings.
+
There are regular gatherings in all major cities and regions of Germany ranging from formal dinners to pub crawlings, clubbing and privately held game nights.  
 +
 
 +
There is also a number of larger annual gatherings, among them:
  
*[[Mitgliederversammlung]] and [[Jahrestagung]] - Mitgliederversammlung (MV) is the official annual gathering where the members discuss and decide about important issues concerning MinD. Jahrestagung (JT) is the programme for fun around. They take place in a different city every April. In 2010 MV and JT will be held in Dortmund.
+
* The [[Mitgliederversammlung]] and [[Jahrestagung]]: This is the official annual gathering where the members discuss and decide on important issues concerning the development of MinD. The "Mitgliederversammlung" is the formal general assembly, while the "Jahrestagung" is the program organized for recreation, meeting other Mensans and having fun. It is held in a different city each year. Most recently, it was held in Munich (2009) and Dortmund (2010), it will be held in Passau in 2011 and in Dresden in 2012.
  
 
*[[Tag der Intelligenz]] - Intelligence Day, a weekend in September dedicated to the promotion of intelligence in general and the idea of Mensa. Admission tests with around 1000 participants in total, open houses and lectures in ca. 50 cities all over Germany draw much attention of local and national media and mark the beginning of a year end rally in testing and marketing activities.
 
*[[Tag der Intelligenz]] - Intelligence Day, a weekend in September dedicated to the promotion of intelligence in general and the idea of Mensa. Admission tests with around 1000 participants in total, open houses and lectures in ca. 50 cities all over Germany draw much attention of local and national media and mark the beginning of a year end rally in testing and marketing activities.
Line 67: Line 87:
 
*[[Berliner Sommerfest]] - Each August more than 100 members meet in the German capital to have a good time together.
 
*[[Berliner Sommerfest]] - Each August more than 100 members meet in the German capital to have a good time together.
  
*[[Fifth Friday in February]] - The rarest event is the FFF which takes place only each 28 years. In 2008 it will be celebrated in Weimar and the surrounding area. The venue of FFF 2036 is not yet determined.
+
*[[Fifth Friday in February]] - The rarest event is the FFF which, as is obvious, can only take place once every 28 years.  
 +
In 2008 it was celebrated in Weimar. The next FFF will be held in 2036.
  
 
== External Link ==
 
== External Link ==

Revision as of 09:25, 5 July 2010

Mensa Germany, or Mensa in Deutschland e.V. ("MinD"), was founded in 1979 and currently has around 8.500 members in good standing, thereby constituting the 3rd largest national Mensa chapter worldwide. It runs various local groups and organizes a large number of gatherings. The average age is 34 years, roughly 31 percent of the members are female.

Mensa in Deutschland e.V. Governance

Mensa in Germany, usually abbreviated to "MinD," has a board of five voluntary directors, each of whom is elected for a two year term. The current chairman is Hermann Meier. The other members are Tina Acham, Matthias Moehl, Martin Weiß and Jens Wiechers.

MinD employs Birgit Rosenthal as its directive-bound executive director and has offices run by Cirsten Novellino in the Munich area. The last full election was held at the AGM 2010 in Dortmund, the next is scheduled for the AGM 2012 in Dresden.

Membership

Individual membership costs €44 p.a. The membership includes a bimonthly magazine called MinD-Magazin (commonly abbreviated to "MinD-Mag").

Testing

Usage of IQ-Tests for purposes other than clinical psychology is relatively uncommon in Germany and while there is some acceptance of the validity of IQ tests, there is also a considerable degree of skepticism as to the overall significance of the concept.

In recent years, there has been some positive change to the public perception and a number of private Universities as well as scholarship granting organizations have adopted IQ tests or closely related cognitive tests as an admission criterion; publicly funded job centers have also begun to regularly use cognitive tests to screen job seekers and the (recently) unemployed to determine the suitability for certain careers or occupational retraining.

Nevertheless, when two publicly funded Universities waived tuition fees for students who had a verified IQ above 130, the public and media reaction was largely negative and the programs were terminated in 2007 (University of Konstanz) and 2009 (University of Freiburg) respectively.

The Mensa IQ tests is therefore the most common way for prospective members to qualify for admission and more than 3000 test are taken each year. Of those who attempt the test, roughly 40 percent meet the criterion and between 70 and 80% subsequently join Mensa, suggesting a very high degree of self-selection.

To deal with the complex requirements and the sheer amount of data, Mensa in Germany has been using an integrated IT-based solution for registration, test management (including scoring), billing and internal member communication for many years.

Regions

Mensa Germany is subdivided into several regions, each led by a LocSec (= Local Secretary).

MinD-Mag

The MinD-Mag is a magazine published on a bimonthly schedule and serves as one of the primary avenues of communication among the membership. Nicolai Meyer serves as the editor in chief, heading a team of volunteers who compile and edit the materials to be published. The magazine, with the exception of those contents concerned with the internal business of the society, is also made available to the public free of charge on the MinD website.

Ortsblätter

In Germany a total of 16 Ortsblätter (= regional newsletters) are published. Each has a unique character and is run by voluntary Editors, colloquially referred to as Eddis. Many Ortsblätter can be considered as magazines in their own right rather than newsletters. The editors are coordinated by Baki Sinanoglu.

  • Augusta for Augsburg and the surrounding area
  • BreMensie for Bremen and the surrounding area
  • Fragment for Frankfurt and the surrounding area
  • Hamlet for Hamburg and the surrounding area
  • MeDUSa for Dusseldorf and the surrounding area
  • Mensana for Munich and the surrounding area
  • MeNü for Nuremberg and the surrounding area
  • Milljöh for Berlin and the surrounding area
  • MinSH for Schleswig-Holstein
  • MiR for the Ruhrgebiet (area of Dortmund, Essen, Duisburg)
  • Muh-Q for Hanover and the surrounding area

Regular Events

There are regular gatherings in all major cities and regions of Germany ranging from formal dinners to pub crawlings, clubbing and privately held game nights.

There is also a number of larger annual gatherings, among them:

  • The Mitgliederversammlung and Jahrestagung: This is the official annual gathering where the members discuss and decide on important issues concerning the development of MinD. The "Mitgliederversammlung" is the formal general assembly, while the "Jahrestagung" is the program organized for recreation, meeting other Mensans and having fun. It is held in a different city each year. Most recently, it was held in Munich (2009) and Dortmund (2010), it will be held in Passau in 2011 and in Dresden in 2012.
  • Tag der Intelligenz - Intelligence Day, a weekend in September dedicated to the promotion of intelligence in general and the idea of Mensa. Admission tests with around 1000 participants in total, open houses and lectures in ca. 50 cities all over Germany draw much attention of local and national media and mark the beginning of a year end rally in testing and marketing activities.
  • Silvesterfeier - New Year´s Eve is celebrated in a different city every year.
  • Berliner Sommerfest - Each August more than 100 members meet in the German capital to have a good time together.

In 2008 it was celebrated in Weimar. The next FFF will be held in 2036.

External Link

Official website