Bremen and Oldenburg: Together on the way to becoming a university of excellence!

Bremen and Oldenburg: Together on the way to becoming a university of excellence!

The universities of Bremen and Oldenburg would like to apply together for the status of a university of excellence. Today, on June 27, 2025, a corresponding declaration of intent was submitted to the Science Council. In doing so, both universities are sending a clear signal that they want to further strengthen their research skills and their international reputation. By 2027, there will be four new universities of excellence to choose from across the country, which can expect funding of between 15 and 28 million euros per year. It is all the more obvious that the universities from Lower Saxony - in addition to Bremen and Oldenburg, the Leibniz University of Hannover and the Hannover Medical School have also announced their ambitions - will have to come up with a lot in the coming months.

Was that all? Not at all! The tender documents for the second round of the Excellence Strategy competition will be published on March 28, 2024, which marks the start of the application process. If successful, up to four additional universities or university associations can be admitted to the select group of universities of excellence, which is why there is great excitement among the universities in Lower Saxony. The decision of the Excellence Commission on the Cluster of Excellence funding line was made on May 22, 2025.

Excellence strategy in focus

The Excellence Strategy was launched in 2016 to promote top-level research at German universities and to strengthen Germany as a science location in international competition. The basic principle is to strengthen universities and promote networking within the science system. The strategy builds on the Excellence Initiative from 2007 to 2017 and aims to help universities remain internationally competitive. Specifically, there are two funding lines: Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence. Only institutions that are involved in at least two Clusters of Excellence are allowed to apply for University of Excellence status.

The current second round of the Excellence Strategy means not only competition, but also teamwork. Universities can submit joint applications. In order to be approved as a network, at least three clusters of excellence must be funded. This shows how important collaboration and networking are in order to build a strong foundation in research.

Future developments

The timing of the selection for the second phase of the Excellence Strategy has already been determined. If the project bears fruit, funding for the newly admitted universities and clusters of excellence will begin in 2027. It will be exciting to see which of the participating universities has a good hand in submitting applications and convinces the scientific commission. The first commissions will evaluate the new applications by the beginning of October 2026.

The Excellence Commission consists of 39 experts, including ministries and scientists, with the scientific perspective always at the forefront. The selection process is based on the scientific quality of the submitted applications and is evaluated by international experts. This is crucial for the future visibility and reputation of the awarded universities.

The Excellence Strategy is a proven instrument that is intended to advance both universities and the research landscape in Germany. A lot is happening here in Lower Saxony too, and it will be interesting to see how the developments will unfold in the coming months. Being ahead can make all the difference.

Those interested can find further information about the excellence strategy and the process on the website buten and within, Science Council as well as BMBF.