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Oldenburg and Bremen: Together to become a university of excellence by 2027!
Oldenburg and Bremen strive for universities of excellence; Decision by autumn 2026. Funding between 15-28 million euros.
Oldenburg and Bremen: Together to become a university of excellence by 2027!
The universities of Oldenburg and Bremen are making a joint push for the title of University of Excellence. n-tv.de reports that… A declaration of intent was submitted to the Science Council today to start the future as the “University Excellence Consortium”. Both universities aim to benefit from significant funding of between 15 and 28 million euros annually from 2027. The picture of the university landscape in northwest Germany could change significantly, especially since there is currently no university of excellence in this region.
A clear path to excellence
In order to qualify for the coveted award, at least three research projects must receive excellence funding. The Oldenburg-Bremen network has already won funding for four projects, which puts the two universities in a strong starting position. In Lower Saxony, the declared goal is to set up at least one university of excellence. In addition to Oldenburg and Bremen, the Leibniz University of Hannover and the Hannover Medical School (MHH) have also submitted their applications.
The regional science ministers are optimistic. Lower Saxony's Science Minister Falko Mohrs praised the cooperation between the two universities and the successes in approving the clusters of excellence. Support also comes from the Bremen Senator for Science, Kathrin Moosdorf, who emphasized the importance of this cooperation. Both ministers met with the university management and speakers of the Clusters of Excellence on June 21st.
The funded clusters
On May 22nd, it was decided to support a total of 70 clusters of excellence in Germany. From January 1, 2026, four clusters at the universities of Bremen and Oldenburg will be funded for seven years. The funded clusters are:
- Hearing4all.connects
- The Martian Mindset
- NaviSense
- The Ocean Floor
These projects demonstrate the research potential of the two universities and their commitment to developing excellence.
The excellence strategy
The Excellence Strategy (ExStra) aims to strengthen universities in Germany by promoting top academic achievements. Wissenschaftsrat.de explains that… it aims to support profile building and cooperation in the science system. Since 2019, ten universities and one university network have been supported as locations of excellence. The associated funding for clusters of excellence and universities of excellence currently amounts to 533 million euros annually, a sum that will be increased to 687 million euros from 2026.
It remains to be hoped that Oldenburg and Bremen's application will be successful in the intensely competitive race for the title of Universities of Excellence. The decision on funding will be made next year, in October, and preparations for the application must be completed by November 12th. Northern Germany as an educational location is once again on an exciting course.