Ruhr Region Secures Three Clusters of Excellence in Tough Competition
© Igor Kapustin/AdobeStock, Marquard/RUB, Michael Schwettmann
The three universities in the Ruhr Region were able to improve their status quo: Three Clusters of Excellence involving Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen were approved.
Funding has been granted to the three Clusters of Excellence “RESOLV” in the field of solvation science, “CASA” for cybersecurity, and “Color Meets Flavor” in particle physics. The Cluster of Excellence “RESOLV – Ruhr Explores Solvation” was able to secure its third funding phase; Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University are applicant institutions, scientists from the University of Duisburg-Essen are contributing. “CASA” has chosen the new theme “Securing the Digital Society” for its second funding phase; the cluster is hosted by Ruhr University Bochum, scientists from the University of Duisburg-Essen are involved. The new application “Color Meets Flavor” has been filed jointly by TU Dortmund University, the University of Bonn, the University of Siegen und Forschungszentrum Jülich. Starting in January 2026, the three clusters will receive several million euros in funding annually for seven years. The cluster “REASONS” from the University of Duisburg-Essen on sustainable river management had also been invited to submit a full proposal in the highly competitive preliminary round encompassing 140 new initiatives, but has not been approved in the final round.
University Alliance Ruhr Continues Successful Partnership
“We congratulate the researchers from the three Clusters of Excellence on their hard-earned success. That even scientifically outstanding proposals have been declined shows how extremely contested funding for top-level research has become,” say the rectors of the University Alliance Ruhr Professor Barbara Albert (University of Duisburg-Essen), Professor Manfred Bayer (TU Dortmund University), and Professor Martin Paul (Ruhr University Bochum). “Although it is regrettable that the three UA Ruhr universities could not jointly qualify for the next round of the Excellence Strategy, we will continue to work together. We have already compiled numerous ideas for how we can work more closely together, and we will definitely pursue these ideas. The funding of the approved clusters and continued financing of the Research Alliance Ruhr by the State of NRW will provide a very solid foundation for this.” In the next step, the members of the University Alliance Ruhr will jointly determine if and how they could proceed in the Excellence Strategy.
One example for the structurally innovative partnership strengthening top-level research in the University Alliance Ruhr is the Research Alliance Ruhr with its four shared research centers and its college. After three years of initial funding from the State of NRW amounting to 75 million euros, funding of 48 million euros per year has been allocated in the state budget since 2024. Up to 50 professorships will be established at the inter-university institutions.
About the Excellence Strategy
Starting in 2026, the federal and state governments will fund 70 Clusters of Excellence, 13 more than before. 98 research projects entered the final phase of the highly competitive process, among them 57 existing Clusters of Excellence and 41 new proposals. Those universities that have received a sufficient number of Clusters of Excellence will be able to apply for funding in autumn as a “University of Excellence” or a “Consortium of Excellence”.
More information here.