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Excellence strategy
On 16 June 2016, the federal government and the states (Länder) adopted the Excellence Strategy Programme on the basis of an Administrative Agreement pursuant to Article 91b(1) of German Basic Law. This competitive procedure for funding top-level research at universities is jointly supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, WR). The federal government and the states (Länder) have commissioned the WR to carry out the procedure for the Excellence Universities funding line and the DFG to carry out the procedure for the Excellence Clusters funding line. In addition, the WR organises the evaluation of the universities of excellence, which takes place every seven years. A panel of experts was established for the design of the funding programme, consisting of a total of 39 persons who have a proven track record in research in various scientific fields. The Excellence Commission, which consists of the scientific members of the Committee of Experts and the federal and state ministers responsible for science, decides on the funding of applications in both funding lines.
Head: Dr Inka Spang-Grau
The Excellence Strategy Committee is assigned to the present department:
_ Chair: Professor Dr Beate Escher
_ Head office supervision: Dr Tim Trausch
The committee fulfils the function of an advisory body by advising and assisting the chairperson of the WR and the Head Office on all procedural questions regarding the implementation of the Excellence Universities funding line. The chairperson of the WR brings the results of the committee’s deliberations to the Excellence Strategy expert panel.
The committee can make proposals to the Scientific Commission for replacing members of the expert panel who are leaving the panel. In addition, it undertakes reflections on the procedure of the Excellence Universities funding line and regularly reports on it to the Scientific Commission. The Commission, in turn, provides stimuli to the committee for its activities. During the phase in which evaluations and funding decisions are made regarding the Excellence Universities funding line, the committee has been temporarily suspended.
The committee is made up of members of the Scientific Commission. The chairperson of the WR, as well as the chairperson of the Scientific Commission and his/her deputy, has guest status in the committee by virtue of their office. In addition, a member of the Expert Panel and an employee of the DFG Head Office are permanent Committee guests.
For current projects of the Excellence Strategy Committee, please refer to the work programme of the WR (German version only).