Clusters of Excellence
With four existing Clusters of Excellence and two further full proposals, the University of Cologne is one of Germany’s most successful universities in the Excellence Initiative. The aim of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments is to strengthen Germany’s position as an outstanding research hub in the long term and to further improve its international competitiveness. Clusters of Excellence are interdisciplinary collaborative projects involving scholars and scientists who conduct joint research in particularly relevant areas.
The Clusters of Excellence at the University of Cologne are embedded in the university’s Key Profile Areas, which bring together topics of high academic and social relevance. They are at the spearhead of international research. The Clusters combine various academic disciplines and are integrated into networks – both within the university and with non-university research institutions such as Max Planck Institutes – in order to create synergies.
Funded clusters of excellence
CECAD: Groundbreaking research for healthier aging
The Cluster of Excellence CECAD (Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases) is dedicated to aging processes and aging-associated diseases. The focus is on understanding the cellular mechanisms that lead to aging and age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Through innovative research and the use of state-of-the-art technologies, CECAD aims to define new therapeutic approaches to help people live longer and healthier lives. The cluster brings together leading scientists from different research fields to work together on these important health challenges.
CEPLAS: Plant research for the agriculture of tomorrow
The scientists at CEPLAS (Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences) explore the adaptations of plants to environmental changes. Deciphering the genetic and biochemical basis of plants opens new avenues for increasing resistance and yield. In this way, research contributes to overcoming challenges such as climate change and ensuring global food security. The scientists in the Cluster of Excellence develop innovative concepts for sustainable agriculture by providing new methods for improving plant health and productivity.
ML4Q: Quantum research for the computers of the future
Quantum computers promise computing power beyond conventional computers. They could be very important in future, e.g. in materials research, pharmaceuticals or artificial intelligence. The aim of ML4Q (Matter and Light for Quantum Computing) is to create new computer and network architectures based on the principles of quantum mechanics. The Cluster of Excellence brings together the unique expertise of the participating partners in three key disciplines of physics – solid state research, quantum optics and quantum information – to lay the foundations for the hardware for quantum information technology and to develop blueprints for a functional quantum information network.
ECONtribute: Responses to economic and social crises
ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy is the only Cluster of Excellence in economics and related disciplines in Germany. Its researchers aim to find answers to fundamental social and technological challenges such as digital transformation, global financial crises, economic inequality and political polarization. The approximately seventy researchers in the cluster are also interested in how policy-makers have used their opportunities so far and how they could do so in future to contribute to efficient and socially acceptable market developments. This field is called ‘public policy’.
Cluster of Excellence initiatives
Sharing a Planet in Peril: The most pressing environmental issues of our time
The Cluster of Excellence Sharing a Planet in Peril is grounded in the humanities and social sciences. It analyses the social and cultural aspects of global environmental crises such as biodiversity loss and climate change. With an interdisciplinary and international network including scholars and affected communities, particularly from the Global South, the cluster analyses the inequitable impacts of environmental crises. The focus is on postcolonial contexts, narratives and the relationship between humankind and nature. In particular, the researchers will explore the principle of ‘sharing’ to facilitate more equitable and sustainable lifestyles. The initiative combines the University’s expertise in Global South Studies and Environmental Humanities.
Our Dynamic Universe: The mysteries of space
The structure and evolution of the universe are controlled by countless phenomena that occur on very different time scales – from fractions of a second to billions of years. The Cluster of Excellence Our Dynamic Universe investigates the diverse astrophysical processes that characterize and shape the universe. The researchers use observations with state-of-the-art instruments and telescopes, experiments in the laboratory and innovative simulations and data analysis methods on high-performance computers. The aim is to fully describe the evolution of matter and energy in order to better understand the dynamic development of planets, stars and galaxies.
Successful from the very beginning
In Germany, the University of Cologne is one of the seven most successful universities in the third funding period (in total, six universities have acquired four Clusters of Excellence and only one university has acquired more than four). It has been one of the funded universities since the start of the program in 2007.
Clusters of Excellence funding line
Clusters of Excellence are an essential component of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments for top university research. Since 2007, they have served to fund internationally competitive research fields at outstanding university locations.
The funding line Clusters of Excellence provides resources for cutting-edge research at German universities, which are primarily used to recruit top international researchers, to train early-career scholars and scientists, for research-related teaching and to build up infrastructures. Currently, 57 Clusters of Excellence are funded throughout Germany. The federal and state governments provide the German Research Foundation (DFG) with approximately 385 million euros per year for this purpose. The funding phase of the Clusters of Excellence is seven years.
Since 2007, the University of Cologne has become increasingly successful in this funding line: