Excellence Strategy
TU Dortmund University was successful in the Excellence Strategy: it is part of two Clusters of Excellence, which will be funded from 2026. Together with Ruhr University Bochum, it is also applying for the title of "University Consortium of Excellence" in the second funding line. The aim is to promote cutting-edge research across universities and strengthen the Ruhr region as science hub.
Clusters of Excellence
On 22 May 2025, the German Research Foundation announced which Clusters of Excellence will be funded for seven years from 2026. Among the 70 selected projects are 45 renewal proposals and 25 new proposals. The Ruhr region was able to improve its position in the tough competition and now has three Clusters of Excellence. TU Dortmund University is part of RESOLV and Color Meets Flavor.
Universities of Excellence / University Consortia of Excellence
In the second funding line, universities and alliances that have acquired sufficient Clusters of Excellence can apply for the title of "University of Excellence" or "University Consortium of Excellence". Ten title holders and fifteen other candidates are eligible to apply. With the acquisition of three Clusters of Excellence, including a joint one, TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum have qualified for this funding line and will apply together. The submission deadline for the proposal is 12 November 2025.
About the Excellence Strategy (ExStra)
Role Model for Cooperation in the Ruhr Region
Founded in 2007, the University Alliance Ruhr is a role model for cooperation between universities in the Ruhr region. TU Dortmund University, Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen work together in research, teaching and administration as well as in many cross-cutting topics. Since 2021, the three universities have been expanding their cutting-edge research in four Research Centers and one College. Their Research Academy bundles cross-location offers to promote academic careers. Three liaison offices in Eastern Europe and North and South America support international networks. Funding under the Excellence Strategy could create an experimental space to test further cooperative structures for international top-level research bilaterally, which would benefit the entire Ruhr region as a science hub in the long term.
The coordinator for the joint proposal is Dr. Gunter Friedrich.