The Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at Kiel University (IPN; German: Leibniz-Institut für die Pädagogik der Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik[1]), previously known as the Leibniz Institute for Science Education, is a scientific institute in the field of Education Research as well as the Didactic method of Natural science[citation needed] in Germany.

[2] The institute was founded in 1966 by physicist Karl Hecht (with participation of Werner Krobel), who remained director until 1971.

Accordingly, Karl Hecht, in the early 1960s, proposed to establish an institute for science teaching and learning.

[3] Its main purpose is to promote the development of educational research in the field of Natural Science.

[2] Among other studies the institute carried out the Programme for International Student Assessment 2003 and 2006,[3] SINUS,[3] ChiK[citation needed], LeLa,[3] LLL, LUV[citation needed], System Earth[3] as well as the GLOBE Program.