Forschende

Forschende is a German noun used to refer to people who conduct research. It is formed from the verb forschen (to research) and the present participle suffix -ende, and functions as a gender-inclusive term for researchers. The noun can be declined: der Forschende, die Forschende, die Forschenden. The plural Forschende covers researchers of all genders and across disciplines and sectors, including universities, non-university research institutions, and industry.

Compared with older terms such as Wissenschaftler or Forscher, Forschende foregrounds the activity of research rather than the professional title and is widely used in policy, administration, and science communication to promote inclusive language.

In use, Forschende appears in sentences like Die Forschenden arbeiten interdisziplinär an neuen Therapien. It is also common in institutional reporting and funding calls, for example in Hochschul- oder Forschungsförderungsdokumente.

Notes: While it is increasingly common, some contexts still prefer Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler or gendered forms; Forschende is not a discipline-specific term but a broad label for researchers’ community.

See also: Forschung, Wissenschaft, Forschungslandschaft, Wissenschaftskommunikation.