The University of Cologne is a University of Excellence

The University of Cologne has been awarded the status of a ‘University of Excellence’ as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments. This was announced by the German Science and Humanities Council (WR), the German Research Foundation (DFG), and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The University of Cologne has succeeded with its proposal under the title “Neue Universität: Continuous Change – Successful Renewal”. The University of Excellence status is awarded, in principle, on a permanent basis. Under the regulations currently in force, an evaluation takes place every seven years. For the first funding period from 2027 to 2033, the total sum applied for amounts to just under 100 million euros.

“Winning this highly competitive competition is a great success for the entire university, and the result of the outstanding work of all our scholars and scientists as well as our technical and administrative staff. This success has also been made possible by the tremendous commitment of our students,” says Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, Rector of the University of Cologne. “I would like to thank everyone who helped organize and who supported the application process with such tremendous dedication. Being recognized as a University of Excellence strengthens our position as one of the leading European universities serving to promote knowledge, drive change, and impact society in significant ways.“ 

The status of ‘University of Excellence’ recognizes the university’s outstanding research achievements and its strategic orientation. This funding will enable the university to further expand its world-leading international research and to enhance its appeal as a research, study, and work destination. Professor Mukherjee emphasizes the importance of the University of Cologne’s wide-ranging collaborations with its partner institutions: “Within the Rhineland, our home region, I would like to highlight our strategic partnerships with the University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich, from which we benefit greatly. We have the city of Cologne to thank for its cosmopolitan and diverse environment, as well as its strong urban community and economy, in which we are firmly grounded. We would like to extend our very special thanks to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which has provided us with outstanding guidance and support during the application phase, particularly Minister Brandes and her entire team at the Ministry of Culture and Science.” The Rector also extends his thanks to the previous Rectorate, led by Professor Dr Axel Freimuth, which had already laid the essential groundwork by 2023 for the highly successful conclusion of this phase of the Excellence Strategy.

Professor Mukherjee emphasizes the responsibility that arises from this shared success: “In Cologne, excellence stands for responsibility. The status conferred by the title of University of Excellence means that the University of Cologne will carry even greater responsibility in the future. Our mission, as we understand it, is to have a lasting, positive impact on society through our research and teaching. This involves, for instance, finding solutions to pressing medical challenges, developing innovative strategies to combat human-made climate change, and promoting equal opportunities through education.” 

Background:

The University of Cologne’s institutional strategy for this round of the Excellence Strategy sets out four objectives, which are to be achieved through interlinked measures. One key objective is to attract outstanding researchers from all over the world. To nurture talent, the university will create a stimulating and inclusive environment for researchers at all stages of their careers. A second key pillar of the strategy is to further strengthen the university’s internal and external partnerships, as well as its collaborative research culture. Furthermore, the university will serve society by, amongst other things, improving its ability to respond to change. It will strengthen the links between research, teaching, and transfer in order to honour its social responsibility. Another key objective of the Excellence Strategy is to shape transformation and to improve the university’s ability to anticipate long-term changes, at the same time increasing administrative efficiency in order to ensure adaptability and guarantee competitiveness.

A prerequisite for applying under the ‘University of Excellence’ funding line was to have at least two previously approved Clusters of Excellence. The University of Cologne has secured a total of five Clusters: CECAD for aging research, CEPLAS for plant sciences, DYNAVERSE for astrophysics, ECONtribute for economics, and ML4Q for quantum physics. The Clusters of Excellence are embedded within the research structure of the university’s Key Profile Areas, which combine topics of high academic and social relevance. They are characterized by research in large consortia at the highest international level. Research in the Key Profile Areas is transdisciplinary and integrated within synergistic networks – both at the university itself and with external institutions (such as Helmholtz and Max Planck Institutes) and partner universities.
 

Press and Communications:
Dr Elisabeth Hoffmann
+49 221 470 2202
+49 151 72808840
e.hoffmann(at)verw.uni-koeln(dot)de

Original article: 
https://uni-koeln.de/en/university/news/news/news-detail/the-university-of-cologne-is-a-university-of-excellence