Die Exzellenzstrategie in vier Minuten erklärt
Funding Lines and Schedule of the Excellence Strategy
The Excellence Strategy aims to strengthen Germany’s position as an outstanding research hub in the long term and further improve its international competitiveness. The competition is currently in its fourth round.
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RUB, Marquard
Funding lines
The central aim of the Excellence Strategy is to promote research excellence in internationally competitive areas, to strengthen German universities institutionally and to further develop the German higher education system. Scientists and universities are free to choose their research fields and profile areas.
The Excellence Strategy comprises two funding lines:
- Clusters of Excellence for the project-based funding of internationally competitive research fields in universities or university consortia and
- Universities of Excellence for strengthening universities as individual institutions or as university consortia in the long term and for developing their leading international role based on successful Clusters of Excellence.
Selected Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence as well as university consortia are currently funded with a total of 533 million euros annually. From 2026, the total budget will rise to 687 million euros per year.
Schedule
Funding line Clusters of Excellence
| What? | When? |
|---|---|
| Submission new and renewal applications | August 2024 |
| Decision on funding | May 22, 2025 |
| Planned funding start | January 1, 2026 |
The deadline for submitting new and renewal applications for Clusters of Excellence was August 2024. The decision on which Clusters of Excellence will be funded will be announced on May 22, 2025. This will also determine whether the University Alliance Ruhr will fulfill the requirements for an application in the University of Excellence funding line.
Funding for the Clusters of Excellence is planned to begin on January 1, 2026. The funding period will be seven years.
Funding line Universities of Excellence
| What? | When? |
|---|---|
| Site visits | April to June 2026 |
| Decision on funding | End of September 2026 |
| Planned funding start | January 1, 2027 |
In the “Universities of Excellence” funding line, the site visits will take place from April to June 2026. They are an essential part of the evaluation process. At the end of September 2026, the Excellence Commission will make a decision on four new funding cases in this program line. The Universities or Consortia of Excellence that have already received funding will be evaluated prior to that. Funding is planned to begin on January 1, 2027. The funding period is also seven years.
Successes and plans
Excellence Strategy