The declared aim of the institutes is to promote the exchange of know-how between science and industry and, in particular, to increase the transfer of academic expertise into the Volkswagen Group. As a consequence, the institutes play a role in enhancing the Group's strategic innovative strength. A committee comprising representatives from the specialist areas, partner universities and AutoUni itself is responsible for steering the institutes' research activities and teaching programmes. This ensures that the work is in tune with both the company's interests - the technical requirements of the job families - and academic goals, thereby enabling new know-how to be acquired and disseminated at the highest possible level. The institutes are defined as Group-wide scientific service providers with an international focus for the given topic areas. Their activities are aligned to industry demands. They serve as interfaces between science and industry and assist in personnel networking. As part of AutoUni, the institutes operate at Group level as an integral function of the Volkswagen Group and as a result are neither legally nor financially independent. AutoUni currently includes the following institutes: Institute for Technology and Innovation (Institut für Technik und Innovation, IFTI) of the Volkswagen Group Institute for Procurement (Institut für Beschaffung, IFB) of the Volkswagen Group Institute for Marketing and Sales (Institut für Marketing und Vertrieb, IFMV) of the Volkswagen Group Institute for Information Technology (Institut für Informatik, IFI) of the Volkswagen Group Institute for Work and Personnel Management (Institut für Arbeit und Personalmanagement, IFAP) of the Volkswagen Group Institute for Finance and Controlling (Institut für Finanzen und Controlling, IFFC) of the Volkswagen Group