Institute
![Difu, Standort Zimmerstraße Berlin Foto: Eingang Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik](/sites/default/files/styles/difu_hauptformat_lg/public/images/2020-07/Nachricht_Wechsel_IL_Difu_Eingang.jpg?itok=Jzz4pgYj)
Mission statement
The German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) is the largest urban research institute in the German-speaking region. We advise municipalities on all tasks that they face now and in the future. Independent, objective and well-founded.
![Difu-Team am Standort Köln Difu Gruppenbild der Kölner Kolleg*innen](/sites/default/files/styles/difu_hauptformat_lg/public/images/2022-11/Foto_FB4-Koeln_221102_WEB.jpg?itok=X5aF5va9)
Organisation and committees
Difu is a practice-orientated and non-profit research institute and the Association for Municipal Research (Verein für Kommunalwissenschaften e.V., VfK) is its sole shareholder.
![Fincancing and Funding 2022 Fincancing and Funding 2022](/sites/default/files/styles/difu_hauptformat_lg/public/images/2023-08/finanzierungsstruktur_2022_en.png?itok=sPsYNhKU)
Financing and funding
As an institution of solidarity for the towns and cities and as a publicly funded research institute we are committed to facilitating the interests of the municipalities and the common good. More than 100 municipalities support Difu as donors and benefit from its range of services.
![Photo: Glass facade](/sites/default/files/styles/difu_hauptformat_lg/public/images/2021-12/joel-filipe-ZMRMFULofus-unsplash%281%29.jpg?itok=eYdA4hFH)
Networks and cooperations
Together with our networks in politics, academia and society, we think progressively about urban development. With our pooled specialist expertise, we support and advise municipalities in making decisions.
Working at Difu
Almost 200 employees work at the Difu offices in Berlin and Cologne. As part of our team they contribute to making our society sustainable.