The ability to work together has to be in the blood of particle physicists. They learn very early on that it is impossible to advance on one's own and that constant exchange is necessary.

In 2004 he was appointed DESY's Research Director. On 12 November 2012 he was awarded an Edison Volta Prize. In December 2007 the CERN research council announced that Heuer will take office as CERN's Director General starting 1 January 2009 following the term of Robert Aymar.