The Excellence Initiative of the German Council of Science and Humanities and the German Research Foundation (DFG) aims to promote cutting-edge research and to create outstanding conditions for young scholars at universities, to deepen cooperation between disciplines and institutions, to strengthen international cooperation of research, and to enhance the international appeal of excellent German universities. It is the result of lengthy negotiations between the federal government and the German states.[1]
Since almost all German universities are public (most private universities do not have the official German "Universitätsstatus"), and therefore mainly paid by taxes and generally egalitarian, there is no German Ivy League of private higher education institutions. However, the Excellence Initiative aims to strengthen some selected public universities more than others in order to raise their international visibility. Thus, the German "Universities of Excellence" are sometimes considered the German Ivy League of public institutions, and these universities are commonly referred to by the media as "elite universities".[2] [3] The initiative is conducted by the DFG together with the German Science and Humanities Council (WR). More than 30 universities in total received funding. It includes three lines of funding:
Altogether €2.7 billion (€1.9 billion for 2007–2012) of additional funds will be distributed over the coming five years, most of this coming from the federal government. The WR is responsible for the third line of funding, and the DFG is responsible for the first and second lines of funding.
11 future concepts across 13 universities were selected for funding in 2019.[5] Six universities retained their status for a third time: RWTH Aachen, FU Berlin (as part of the Berlin University Alliance), Heidelberg University, University of Konstanz, LMU Munich, and Technical University of Munich. Three further universities retained their status for a second consecutive time: HU Berlin (as part of the Berlin University Alliance), TU Dresden, and the University of Tübingen. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology returned to excellence status for a second time after having been funded in the first round (2006). The three first-time excellence universities are the University of Bonn, University of Hamburg, and TU Berlin (as part of the Berlin University Alliance).
| University | Title | Year of Award | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Integrated Interdisciplinary University of Science and Technology: Knowledge, Impact, Networks | 2007/2012/2019 | ||
| Berlin University Alliance | Crossing Boundaries toward an Integrated Research Environment | 2007/2012/2019 | |
| University of Bonn | WE invest in people – WE foster networks – WE create impact | 2019 | |
| TU Dresden | TUD 2028 Synergy and beyond | 2012/2019 | |
| A Flagship University: Innovation and Cooperation for a Sustainable Future | 2019 | ||
| The comprehensive research university Heidelberg: The future since 1386 | 2007/2012/2019 | ||
| Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | The Research University in the Helmholtz Association: Living the Change | 2006/2019 | |
| University of Konstanz | creative.together | 2007/2012/2019 | |
| Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich | LMUexcellent - A new perspective | 2006/2012/2019 | |
| Technical University of Munich | TUM. The Entrepreneurial University: Innovation by Talents, Excellence, and Responsibility | 2006/2012/2019 | |
| University of Tübingen | Research – Relevance – Responsibility: Open to New Challenges and a Global Scope of Action | 2012/2019 |
Out of the 140 universities in Germany 11 universities were chosen, among them five new winners (HU Berlin, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, TU Dresden, University of Tübingen) and six title holders: RWTH Aachen, FU Berlin, Heidelberg University, University of Konstanz, LMU Munich, and Technical University of Munich. As in 2006 and 2007, also other universities were awarded for special clusters of excellence and renowned graduate schools.
| University | Title | Year of Award | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RWTH 2020: Meeting Global Challenges | 2007 | ||
| Freie Universität Berlin | International Network University | 2007 | |
| Education through science | 2012 | ||
| AMBITIOUS AND AGILE | 2012 | ||
| University of Cologne | Meeting the Challenge of Change and Complexity | 2012 | |
| TU Dresden | The synergetic university | 2012 | |
| Heidelberg: Realizing the Potential of a Comprehensive University | 2007 | ||
| University of Konstanz | Model Konstanz - towards a culture of creativity | 2007 | |
| Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich | LMUexcellent: Working brains – Networking minds – Living knowledge | 2006 | |
| Technical University of Munich | TUM. The Entrepreneurial University | 2006 | |
| University of Tübingen | Research − Relevance − Responsibility | 2012 |
| University | Title | Year of Award | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich | LMUexcellent: Working brains – Networking minds – Living knowledge | 2006 | |
| Technical University of Munich | TUM. The Entrepreneurial University | 2006 | |
| University of Karlsruhe | A Concept for the Future of the University of Karlsruhe. The Foundation of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) | 2006 | |
| RWTH 2020: Meeting Global Challenges | 2007 | ||
| Freie Universität Berlin | International Network University | 2007 | |
| Windows for Research, New Universitas | 2007 | ||
| University of Göttingen | Göttingen. Tradition – Innovation – Autonomie | 2007 | |
| Heidelberg: Realizing the Potential of a Comprehensive University | 2007 | ||
| University of Konstanz | Model Konstanz - towards a culture of creativity | 2007 |
The funding for a future concept does often, but not necessarily result in a superior overall budget compared to other German universities. For example, due to its small size, the University of Constance is, despite this additional funding, not included in the top 20 funded universities in Germany.
According to the Third European Report on Science & Technology Indicators, an official document compiled by the European Commission, four of the Universities of Excellence are among Europe's top 10 universities: Technical University of Munich (joint 3rd), Freiburg (joint 6th), Karlsruhe (joint 6th), and Heidelberg (joint 9th).[6] [7]
In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2012, Technical University of Munich (53), LMU Munich (60), Heidelberg (62), and Freiburg (99) are included in the global top 100, heading the field of German universities by those criteria.[8]
Eight of the eleven Universities of Excellence are included in the world's top 250 universities, according to the QS World University Ranking 2012: Technical University of Munich (53); Heidelberg (55); LMU Munich (60); Free University of Berlin (87); Humboldt University of Berlin (130); Tübingen (144); RWTH Aachen (150); Cologne (247). The Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2012 ranks 8 of these 11 Universities of Excellence among the world's 250 top universities: LMU Munich (45); Heidelberg (73); Technical University of Munich (88); Humboldt University of Berlin (109); Free University of Berlin (151); RWTH Aachen (168); Tübingen (187); Konstanz (194).
Federal Education Minister Annette Schavan said following the awards ceremony, "The excellence initiative is writing scientific history. Research at German universities finds itself on a successful, international course."[9]
Source: Federal Ministry of Education and Research[10]
| (coordinating) University | Graduate School | Year of Award | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aachen Institute for Advanced Study in Computational Engineering Science | 2006 | ||
| Graduate School of North American Studies (John F. Kennedy-Institute for North American Studies) | 2006 | ||
| Berlin School of Mind and Brain | 2006 | ||
| Technische Universität Berlin (FU Berlin, HU Berlin) | 2006 | ||
| Ruhr University Research School | 2006 | ||
| Bonn Graduate School of Economics | 2006 | ||
| Global Change in the Marine Realm | 2006 | ||
| Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering | 2006 | ||
| Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies | 2006 | ||
| Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine | 2006 | ||
| International Graduate Centre for the Study of Culture | 2006 | ||
| 2006 | Hannover Biomedical Research School | 2006 | |
| 2006 | Heidelberg Graduate School of Fundamental Physics | ||
| 2006 | Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics | 2006 | |
| Empirical and Quantitative Methods in the Economic and Social Sciences | 2006 | ||
| Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences | 2006 | ||
| 2006 | |||
| Multimodal Computing and Interaction | 2006 | ||
| Graduate School for Life Sciences | 2006 | ||
| Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies | 2007 | ||
| Muslim Cultures and Societies: Unity and Diversity | 2007 | ||
| Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies | 2007 | ||
| Berlin-Brandenburg School for Regenerative Therapies | 2007 | ||
| Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences | 2007 | ||
| Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology | 2007 | ||
| 2007 | |||
| Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences | 2007 | ||
| Graduate School of Computational Engineering "Beyond Traditional Sciences" | 2007 | ||
| Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences | 2007 | ||
| Heidelberg Graduate School of Mathematical and Computational Methods for the Sciences | 2007 | ||
| The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology | 2007 | ||
| Jena School for Microbial Communication | 2007 | ||
| Graduate School for Integrated Studies of Human Development in Landscapes | 2007 | ||
| Konstanz Research School "Chemical Biology" | 2007 | ||
| 2007 | |||
| 2007 | |||
| Materials Science in Mainz | 2007 | ||
| Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science | 2007 | ||
| GSaME | Graduate School for advanced Manufacturing Engineering in Stuttgart (GSaME) | 2007 | |
| 2007 |
| (coordinating) University | Clusters of Excellence | Year of Award | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | |||
| Ultra High-Speed Mobile Information and Communication (UMIC) | 2006 | ||
| Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass | 2007 | ||
| Topoi. The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations | 2006 | ||
| Mathematics: Foundations, Models, Applications | 2006 | ||
| From Cells to Tissues to Therapies: Engineering the Cellular Basis of Regeneration | 2006 | ||
| TU Dresden | Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed) | ||
| 2006 | |||
| Cardio-Pulmonary System | 2006 | ||
| Microscopy at the Nanometer Range | 2006 | ||
| From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy | 2006 | ||
| Cellular Networks: From Analysis of Molecular Mechanisms to a Quantitative Understanding of Complex Functions | 2006 | ||
| Center for Functional Nanostructures | 2006 | ||
| 2006 | |||
| Cultural Foundations of Social Integration | 2006 | ||
| 2006 | |||
| Munich Center for Advanced Photonics | 2006 | ||
| Nanosystems Initiative Munich | 2006 | ||
| Cognition for Technical Systems | 2006 | ||
| Origin and Structure of the Universe – The Cluster of Excellence for Fundamental Physics | 2006 | ||
| Languages of Emotion | 2007 | ||
| NeuroCure: Towards a Better Outcome of Neurological Disorders | 2007 | ||
| 2007 | |||
| Cognitive Interaction Technology | 2007 | ||
| The Ocean in the Earth System | 2007 | ||
| Smart Interfaces: Understanding and Designing Fluid Boundaries | 2007 | ||
| Engineering of Advanced Materials – Hierarchical Structure Formation for Functional Devices | 2007 | ||
| Formation of Normative Orders | 2007 | ||
| Centre for Biological Signalling Studies – From Analysis to Synthesis | 2007 | ||
| Integrated Climate System Analysis and Prediction (CliSAP) | 2007 | ||
| 2007 | |||
| Asia and Europe in a Global Context: Shifting Asymmetries in Cultural Flows (EXC270) | 2007 | ||
| Inflammation at Interfaces | 2007 | ||
| Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases | 2007 | ||
| Religion and Politics in Pre-Modern and Modern Cultures | 2007 | ||
| Multimodal Computing and Interaction | 2007 | ||
| Simulation Technology | 2007 | ||
| CIN – Centre for Integrative Neuroscience | 2007 | ||
| CUI | The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI) | 2012 | |
| RWTH Aachen University | Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries | 2012 | |
| RWTH Aachen University | Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass | 2012 | |
| Freie Universität Berlin / Humboldt University of Berlin | NeuroCure | 2012 | |
| Freie Universität Berlin / Humboldt University of Berlin | TOPOI - The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations | 2012 |
Whether the Excellence Initiative has had a positive effect is currently a matter of debate. A report by the WZB Berlin Social Science Centre indicates that the program failed to create more diverse education options and produced little in the way of lasting change.[11] Additionally, the Goethe Institut claims that an additional criticism is that "competition up to now has focussed exclusively on the research rather than the teaching at universities", that prevailing qualitative imbalances in East and West German education systems may potentially be perpetuated via the program (by favoring more established Western universities over their younger Eastern counterparts), and, furthermore, that the funding may actually be insufficient to achieve the goal of creating "globally competitive universities".[12]
However, an international commission led by physicist Dieter Imboden of the ETH Zurich in Switzerland praised the program, saying it had a "very positive" influence on higher education in Germany, and recommending it be extended and further developed.[13]