The University of Tübingen has retained its status as a University of Excellence under the German government’s Excellence Strategy. The decision was announced this evening by the Excellence Commission, a panel of academics along with representatives of Germany’s federal and state governments. The University of Tübingen will thus stay in the group of 15 universities or university alliances which are to receive centralized funding for seven years, starting in 2027. The amount of annual funding is to be announced later this year.

“Many people have worked very hard for this achievement,” says Tübingen President, Professor Dr. Karla Pollmann. “Working together, they have ensured that the University of Tübingen can continue to rank among the best in the world.” This government support would enable the University to build on its achievements and continue to develop in line with the goals it has set itself within the framework of the Excellence Strategy, she said.

The University’s role in society

“Environmental changes, geopolitical shifts, and technological progress are transforming the world and the University is changing, too. The University, as a place of research, has a broader societal responsibility,” Pollmann said, stressing that the University of Tübingen would continue to seek answers to the questions of our time through excellent, interdisciplinary research. “In a world of upheaval and uncertainty, we will continue to be guided by our proven motto of Research – Relevance – Responsibility,” she said. A new slogan ties in with the existing motto and gives it a new emphasis: Contributing to Solutions for Global Challenges and to Societal Advancement. “We want to help shape solutions for global challenges and societal progress. I call on everyone at the University of Tübingen to work together to ensure that the University, as a place where the foundations of progress are laid, plays an even more active role in society,” the President said.

New goals ahead

Projects launched in the previous funding phase are to be continued and developed. The University plans to use the Excellence funds to pursue five goals:

Advance Excellence in Research and Education Researchers will continue to receive support to conduct research and research-based teaching at the highest level. The interdisciplinary research platforms will be reviewed to address pressing societal issues. A new Forum for Transformative Higher Education will develop strategies for innovative teaching, taking into account issues affecting all disciplines, such as digital education, mental health, individual learning support, and new study programs.

Nurture a Collaborative and Inclusive University Environment Support for first-generation academics will be incorporated into the diversity strategy. To support early-career researchers, the Graduate Academy's services will be expanded to include additional mentoring and career counseling, and new early-career research groups will be established. The University will also continue its Athene program to promote female researchers and strengthen gender equality in leadership positions. The core facilities, which provide researchers with interdisciplinary access to specialist equipment, will be expanded.

Sustain ChangeAbility Mindful of the value of free academic research, the University is set to continue its Exploration funds for projects in the humanities and social sciences, with a focus on even deeper collaboration between disciplines. Increasing activities in the field of artificial intelligence are to be coordinated within the planned Tübingen AI Campus, as part of the Tübingen Research Campus. In its overall strategy for sustainable development, the University is guided by the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Enhance Global Awareness and International Connectivity Understanding global challenges and interrelationships remains one of the University’s goals. To this end, international networks and partnerships, including those with the Global South, are to be strengthened and expanded, with the help of the College of Fellows, which brings international academics to Tübingen for research sabbaticals. In addition, the Global Awareness Education Program will expand its courses on interculturality and sustainability.

Expand Societal Engagement, Innovation, and Co-Creation The University plans to expand existing interactive formats to include those that go beyond pure science communication. For example, a mobile open lab for experiments in public spaces is to be created, and a co-creative public engagement approach is to be pursued, i.e., an even more dialogue-oriented exchange with society in general. In addition, there will be more consultation on political and social issues, as has been started in the initiative to discuss AI and freedom within the innovative Citizens' Council format. Entrepreneurship will be added to the curriculum as an elective subject, and TechTransfer will be restructured.

“Thanks to our success in the Excellence Strategy, we can now make the joint effort to ensure that the University of Tübingen becomes even stronger and more prominent in future-oriented research, excellent teaching, and societal engagement,” President Pollmann said. “We are a university steeped in tradition, celebrating our 550th anniversary next year and deeply rooted in the region; and as a University of Excellence, we stand for everything that distinguishes the value of knowledge here in Tübingen, in the state, and worldwide.”

The President thanked everyone who worked with great perseverance and commitment on the application for the University of Excellence status. “Our academics and administrators worked beyond the call of duty to achieve this goal,” Pollmann said. “I would also like to thank our International Advisory Board and further experts from around the world who have supported us in an outstanding way with their expertise and advice,” she said.