In its reconstitution, the advisory board of USK re-elected Heico Michael Engelhardt of SOS Children's Villages SH as chairman. Katja Engelbert of the Youth Ministry of NRW is now deputy chair.
At its meeting on December 12, 2025, the Advisory Board of the German Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body USK reconstituted itself for the 2026–2028 term of office. Heico Michael Engelhardt, representative of the Working Group for Child and Youth Welfare (AGJ) and head of SOS Children's Villages Schleswig-Holstein, was re-elected as chairman and will thus lead the committee for another three years. The deputy chair will be taken over by Katja Engelbert, representative of the Ministry for Children, Youth, Family, Equality, Refugees, and Integration of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Elisabeth Secker, Managing Director of the USK, comments: “The USK Advisory Board plays a key role in guiding our work in the field of child and youth media protection in digital games. The USK benefits greatly from the diverse range of perspectives represented on the Advisory Board. The re-election of Heico Michael is a positive sign that this work can continue uninterrupted.”
Heico Michael Engelhardt, Chairman of the Advisory Board, says: “The past few years have clearly shown how modern youth media protection can be further developed: the practical implementation of the new Youth Protection Act and the high level of social acceptance of the additional information provided by the USK age ratings have noticeably improved guidance for families. We would like to continue to support and shape this positive development in the Advisory Board. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the advisory board for their trust and for re-electing me.”
The advisory board provides the USK with support with regard to the socio-political acceptance and transparency of its activities. In addition, the USK advisory board lays down the formal foundations for the work of the USK, such as the USK statutes and the guiding criteria for age ratings.
It consists of representatives from the highest state youth authorities, the Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, churches and religious communities, the Society for Media Education and Communication Culture (GMK), the Federal Center for Child and Youth Media Protection (BzKJ), the Commission for Youth Media Protection (KJM), child and youth welfare organizations, the games industry, and representatives of the USK's youth protection experts.
