Excellence Strategy 2026
Funding for cutting-edge research 鈥� The 2026 Clusters of Excellence
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The second seven-year funding period for the so-called Excellence Strategy begins in 2026. On May 22, 2025, the winning clusters were announced. An overview.
Updated: 2025-05-22
Excellence Commission announcement: Seventy Clusters of Excellence to receive funding
On May 22, 2025, the so-called Excellence Commission announced the 70 Clusters of Excellence for the second funding period. Forty-five of them received financial support during the first round of funding (2017 to 2025), and they will now be joined by 25 new ones. From January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2032, these Clusters of Excellence will be funded with a total of 539 million euros each year. Seventy clusters is the maximum number of projects allowed under the Excellence Strategy agreed to by the federal and state governments.
The following tables show which clusters will receive funding beginning in 2026.
Clusters of Excellence 2026 (One University)
| University | Cluster of Excellence |
|---|---|
|
RWTH Aachen University |
The Integrated Fuel & Chemical Science Centre |
|
University of Bayreuth |
Africa Multiple: Reconfiguring African Studies |
|
Freie Universit盲t Berlin |
Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS) |
|
Ruhr University Bochum |
CASA: Securing the Digital Society |
|
University of Bonn |
Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) |
|
University of Bonn |
Hausdorff Center for Mathematics (HCM) |
|
University of Bonn |
ImmunoSensation3 - The Immune Sensory System: from Immune Diversity to Precision Medicine |
|
University of Bonn |
PhenoRob2 - Robotics and Phenotyping for Sustainable Crop Production |
|
University of Bremen |
The Martian Mindset: A Scarcity-Driven Engineering Paradigm |
|
Technical University of Darmstadt |
Reasonable Artificial Intelligence |
|
Dresden University of Technology |
Physics of Life: The Dynamic Organization of Living Matter (PoL) |
|
Dresden University of Technology |
Responsible Electronics in the Climate Change Era (REC虏) |
|
Dresden University of Technology |
Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI) |
|
Friedrich-Alexander-Universit盲t Erlangen-N眉rnberg |
Transforming Human Rights |
|
Goethe University Frankfurt/Main |
SCALE 鈥� SubCellular Architecture of LifE |
|
Albert-Ludwigs-Universit盲t Freiburg |
CIBSS 鈥� Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies |
|
Albert-Ludwigs-Universit盲t Freiburg |
Future Forests 鈥� Adapting Complex Social-Ecological Forest Systems to Global Change |
|
University of Hamburg |
CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter |
|
University of Hamburg |
Quantum Universe II |
|
University of Hamburg |
Climate, Climatic Change, and Society II (CLICCS II) |
|
University of Hamburg |
Understanding Written Artefacts: Material, Interaction and Transmission |
|
Hamburg University of Technology |
BlueMat: Water-Driven Materials |
|
Leibniz University Hannover |
PhoenixD: Photonics, Optics, and Engineering Innovation Across Dimensions |
|
Hannover Medical School |
RESIST 鈥� Resolving Infection Susceptibility |
|
Heidelberg University |
SynthImmune 鈥� Engineering Immune Function with Synthetic Biology |
|
Friedrich Schiller University Jena |
Balance of the Microverse |
|
Friedrich Schiller University Jena |
Imaginamics. Practices and Dynamics of Social Imagining |
|
Kiel University |
ROOTS 鈥� Social, Environmental, and Cultural Connectivity in Past Societies |
|
University of Cologne |
Cologne Cluster of Excellence on Aging and Aging-associated Diseases |
|
University of Konstanz |
The Politics of Inequality |
|
Leipzig University |
Leipzig Center of Metabolism (LeiCeM) 鈥� Understanding and Improving Metabolic Health |
|
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz |
Precision Physics, Fundamental Interactions and Structure of Matter (PRISMA++) |
|
Philipps-Universit盲t Marburg |
Microbes-for-Climate (M4C): Mechanisms, Consequences and Chances of Microbial Conversions of Greenhouse Gases |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen |
Cross-Cultural Philology. New Perspectives on Premodern Textualities |
|
Technical University of Munich |
TransforM: Munich Center for Transformative Technologies and Societal Change |
|
University of M眉nster |
Mathematics M眉nster: Dynamics 鈥� Geometry 鈥� Structure |
|
Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg |
NaviSense: International Cluster of Excellence for the Sensory Basis, Mechanisms, and Impacts of Animal Navigation |
|
University of Stuttgart |
Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Transformative Architecture |
|
University of T眉bingen |
HUMAN ORIGINS 鈥� Cluster of Excellence for Integrative Human Origins Studies |
|
University of T眉bingen |
Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies (iFIT) |
|
University of T眉bingen |
Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI) |
|
University of T眉bingen |
Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science |
|
University of T眉bingen |
TERRA: Terrestrial Geo-Biosphere Interactions in a Changing World |
Clusters of Excellence 2026 (Two Universities)
| Universities | Cluster of Exzellence |
|---|---|
|
RWTH Aachen University, Dresden University of Technology |
CARE: Climate-Neutral And Resource-Efficient Construction |
|
Freie Universit盲t Berlin, Humboldt-Universit盲t zu Berlin |
ImmunoPreCept: Exploring the Health-Disease Bifurcation for Cell-based Molecular Prevention and Interceptive Medicine |
|
Freie Universit盲t Berlin, Humboldt-Universit盲t zu Berlin |
NeuroCare 鈥� Comprehensive Approaches to Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders |
|
Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University |
RESOLV (Ruhr Explores Solvation) 鈥� Understanding and Design of Solvent Controlled Processes |
|
University of Bonn, University of Cologne |
ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy |
|
University of Bonn, University of Cologne |
Our Dynamic Universe |
|
Technische Universit盲t Braunschweig, Leibniz University Hannover |
QuantumFrontiers: Pushing the Boundaries of the Measurable |
|
University of Bremen, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg |
The Ocean Floor 鈥� Earth鈥檚 Uncharted Interface |
|
Dresden University of Technology, Julius-Maximilians-Universit盲t W眉rzburg |
Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter (ctd.qmat) |
|
Heinrich Heine University D眉sseldorf, University of Cologne |
CEPLAS 鈥� SMART Plants in Dynamic Environments |
|
Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Justus Liebig University Giessen |
Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI) |
|
Heidelberg University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |
3D Matter Made to Order |
|
Kiel University, University of L眉beck |
Precision Medicine in Chronic Inflammation |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen, Technical University of Munich |
Biosystems Design Munich (BioSysteM) |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen, Technical University of Munich |
e-conversion 2.0 |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen, Technical University of Munich |
Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen, Technical University of Munich |
Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen, Technical University of Munich |
ORIGINS: From the Origin of the Universe to the First Building Blocks of Life |
Clusters of Excellence 2026 (Three Universities)
| Universities | Cluster of Exzellence |
|---|---|
|
RWTH Aachen University, University of Bonn, University of Cologne |
Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q) |
|
Freie Universit盲t Berlin, Humboldt-Universit盲t zu Berlin, Technische Universit盲t Berlin |
MATH+: Berlin Mathematics Research Center |
|
Freie Universit盲t Berlin, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, University of Regensburg |
Center for Chiral Electronics |
|
University of Bonn, TU Dortmund University, University of Siegen |
Colour Meets Flavor 鈥� Search for New Phenomena in Strong and Weak Interactions |
|
Technical University of Darmstadt, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Philipps-Universit盲t Marburg |
The Adaptive Mind |
|
Justus Liebig University Giessen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Ulm University |
Post-Lithium Energy Storage (POLiS) |
|
Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover Medical School, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg |
Hearing4all.connects: Innovating Hearing Health Technology from Ear to Brain to Society |
|
Heidelberg University, University of Hohenheim, University of T眉bingen |
GreenRobust: Understanding Robustness of Plant Systems from Molecules to Ecosystems |
|
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t M眉nchen, Technical University of Munich, Julius-Maximilians-Universit盲t W眉rzburg |
Cluster for Nucleic Acid Sciences and Technologies 鈥� NUCLEATE |
The application phase
Initial decisions for the new, second round of funding came in February 2024, with experts choosing 41 out of 143 draft proposals submitted to the for new Clusters of Excellence. The research groups behind the proposals 鈥� from 37 universities in 13 German states 鈥� were then given until August 22, 2024, to submit their formal funding applications. Joining the competition were the 57 Clusters of Excellence that had already received backing in the first round of funding and were able to submit their applications without first presenting a draft proposal.
What ist the Excellence Strategy ?
The Excellence Strategy aims to strengthen outstanding research projects at German universities and boost their international visibility. It arose out of the funding program known as the Excellence Initiative, which received positive evaluations. Further information can be found on the topic page!
Universities of Excellence 鈥� second funding Period
On March 28, 2024, the call for applications documents for the Universities of Excellence funding program were published on the website of the German Science and Humanities Council along with the updated evaluation guidelines for excellence institutions already receiving funding. Should an existing University of Excellence no longer be able to demonstrate the required number of Clusters of Excellence at the end of 2025 or if these receive a negative assessment, vacant spots can be filled.
Ten universities funding in the first round will be evaluated starting this fall, according to a press release from the German Science and Humanities Council. An additional 15 universities are also eligible to apply. The Universities of Excellence are to continue to receive annual funding of 148 million euros from 2027.
