Bremen and Oldenburg join forces for universities of excellence!

Bremen and Oldenburg join forces for universities of excellence!

The universities of Bremen and Oldenburg are on a promising path towards the future of research. On June 27, 2025, they submitted a significant declaration of intent to the Science Council, which aims to benefit from the federal and statewide excellence strategy. This would mean that the two universities could receive annual funding of 15 to 28 million euros from 2027 if they successfully prepare and submit the application by November 12, 2025. The decision on this application is due in October 2026, and the pressure is high, as at least three approved clusters of excellence are required to apply as universities of excellence. On May 22, 2025, both universities managed to get four Clusters of Excellence approved, which gives them a decisive advantage.

A strong team made up of Rectors Prof. Jutta Günther (University of Bremen) and Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder (University of Oldenburg) as well as the Minister of Science Falko Mohrs and Senator for Science Kathrin Moosdorf play a central role in this initiative. The close cooperation between the two universities, which has existed for decades and forms a common scientific identity, was actively supported by Lower Saxony. The ministers and university management met on June 21, 2025 to plan strategic steps. This shows that both institutions not only have a strong research infrastructure, but also have big ideas to combine innovative research strengths.

The Clusters of Excellence in detail

The four approved clusters of excellence, which will be funded for seven years from January 1, 2026, cover a wide range of research fields:

• Hearing4all.connects (Hörforschung)
• Marsperspektive (Material- und Produktionsforschung)
• NaviSense (Tiernavigationsforschung)
• Ozeanboden (Meeresforschung)

But what is behind these research fields? The “NaviSense” cluster, for example, studies how animals navigate over long distances. The aim is to transfer these findings into technical applications, with a focus on physical, biochemical and physiological processes as well as quantum mechanical phenomena. At the same time, the “Hearing4all” cluster is researching solutions for people with hearing impairments, including through the use of AI and medical innovations.

Key data on the excellence strategy

The Excellence Strategy, which was introduced in 2016, aims to support top research at German universities. It not only promotes top academic achievements, but also raises the profile of universities and strives for better networking in the science system. Funding takes place in two lines: Clusters of Excellence, which support internationally competitive research fields on a project-based basis, and Universities of Excellence, which are strengthened on the basis of these clusters. Let's take a look at the numbers:

From 2027, up to 15 universities of excellence will be funded, an increase compared to the previous funding phase. The federal and state governments provide 208 million euros annually for this, which corresponds to an increase of 60 million euros.

The decision about the new clusters of excellence and universities is made by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Science Council based on scientific quality. The Excellence Strategy will continue to help strengthen and make Germany visible as a science location in international competition. Together, the universities of Bremen and Oldenburg are committed to a successful path to excellence.

For further information on current developments, it is worth taking a look at the Senatspressestelle Bremen, which Nordwest-Allianz and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.