University of Konstanz Stripped of Exemplary Standing
Germany's Excellence Strategy Boosts Research Funding for Top Universities
In a significant development for Germany's research landscape, the University of Bonn has been awarded a substantial sum of around 80 million euros in Excellence funding. This funding will support eight interdisciplinary research alliances, known as Excellence Clusters, making Bonn the university with the highest number of clusters in Germany.
The Excellence Clusters, which bring together multiple universities and non-university research institutions, play a crucial role in the Excellence Strategy. They foster interdisciplinary collaboration and elevate research quality, with almost 90% of academic fields at German universities involved in these clusters. Artificial intelligence is a key area within the network, reflecting the importance of this field in modern research.
The University of Bonn's success marks a milestone, as Rector Kerstin Krieglstein of the University of Freiburg noted. Freiburg, which applied for four clusters, has received approval for two, allowing it to apply for the status of an "Excellence University". This is a competitive evaluation process under the Excellence Strategy's second funding line, which recognises institutions demonstrating outstanding research performance and future potential.
Unfortunately, the University of Constance's existing excellence cluster on the collective behavior of animals will not be funded in the future. Rector Katharina Holzinger expressed disappointment about the non-continuation of the research consortium, as this means the end of the excellence universities funding line for the next funding period.
The competition for the status of an "Excellence University" is fierce, with 14 other universities also in the running. The state of Baden-Württemberg has 13 research projects approved for funding in the Excellence Cluster competition. Tübingen performed best in the southwest with six clusters, followed by Heidelberg with three, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Freiburg with two each.
The research areas funded include the robustness of ecosystems, electrochemical energy storage, novel tumor therapies, and resilient tree species. Nationwide, 70 clusters will be funded in the future, up from the current 57. The total budget for Excellence funding in 2023 is around 850 million euros, which is 9.4% of the total.
Petra Olschowski, the Science Minister of Baden-Württemberg, stated that the decision is a great confirmation for the science location Baden-Württemberg. For more information about the University of Bonn's Excellence Clusters, you can contact Christoph Müller at c.mueller@our website.
[1] https://www.excellenceinitiative.de/en/ [3] https://www.excellence-initiative.de/fileadmin/user_upload/excellence_initiative/downloads/2021/07/Exzellenzcluster_2021.pdf [5] https://www.excellenceinitiative.de/en/universities-of-excellence/
Management of Germany's Excellence Strategy has recognized the University of Bonn as a leading institution for education-and-self-development, awarding an impressive 80 million euros for eight interdisciplinary research alliances, known as Excellence Clusters. These clusters, crucial to the Excellence Strategy, focus not only on enhancing research quality but also fostering science and education collaboration, making Bonn the top German university with the highest number of such clusters.
