As an integral part of its historical and cultural heritage, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz maintains a range of links with the State Capital Mainz. At the same time, it utilizes and cultivates the outstanding collaboration opportunities offered in the Rhine-Main region with its cultural institutions and business and service companies in the fields of research, learning, and teaching. JGU is a founding member of the Mainz Science Alliance, which represents the broad and high-quality research and technology know-how in and around Mainz since 2008. The objective of the Mainz Research Alliance is to increase networking of the universities, scientific institutions and companies in Mainz and its environs to promote research and science and to thereby strengthen Mainz as a center of scientific activity. A further objective is to increase the national and international visibility of Mainz as an economic region. The association also has the task of initiating new projects and cooperative ventures among members of the alliance, and of providing a platform for exchange with the scientific community.