Funding and Individual Evaluation of the Universities of Excellence and the University Excellence Consortium

The following ten Universities of Excellence and one University Excellence Consortium are being funded since November 2019 (in alphabetical order):

• RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen)
• Berlin University Alliance
• University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)
• TU Dresden (Technische Universität Dresden)
• University of Hamburg (Universität Hamburg, UHH)
• Heidelberg University (Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg)
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (Karlsruher Institut für Technologie)
• University of Konstanz (Universität Konstanz)
• LMU Munich (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
• Technical University of Munich (Technische Universität München)
• University of Tübingen (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

You can find more information on the funded universities and the university consortium here.

In accordance with the administrative agreement between the German federal government and the states on the Excellence Strategy, funded universities and consortia are evaluated every seven years. The evaluation assesses whether the requirements for funding continue to be met by the university or consortium. The individual evaluation is organised by the Wissenschaftsrat (WR, German Science and Humanities Council) and assessed by the Committee of Experts. The result of the individual evaluation is presented to the Excellence Commission.

To be carried out for the first time, the evaluation of the ten funded Universities of Excellence and the University Excellence Consortium will begin with the submission of the self-assessment reports on 1 August 2025, with on-site visits taking place from September to December of the same year. In March 2026, the Committee of Experts assesses the results of the individual evaluations and submits a corresponding recommendation to the Excellence Commission.

The evaluation procedure is based on evaluation guidelines (German and English) adopted by the Committee of Experts. These guidelines inform both the Universities of Excellence or University Excellence Consortium to be evaluated as well as the reviewers of the respective individual evaluations. They provide information on the procedures and principles as well as the assessment categories. They also contain comprehensive information on the preparation of the self-assessment reports to be submitted by the Universities of Excellence and the University Excellence Consortium as part of the evaluation procedure.

Continuation of funding requires the successful acquisition of at least two or, in the case of a University Excellence Consortium, three Clusters of Excellence as well as a positive evaluation of the University of Excellence or the University Excellence Consortium.

In the event of a negative evaluation result, the federal government and the host state decide on the modalities of the withdrawal of the University of Excellence or the University Excellence Consortium. Formal completion funding on a diminishing basis, limited to a maximum of three years, will be provided by the federal government and the host state to the withdrawing university or consortium.

The documents required for the evaluation are listed below:

• Guidelines for the individual evaluation of Universities of Excellence and University Excellence Consortia (in German and English)
• Data protection information for the individual evaluation of Universities of Excellence and University Excellence Consortia (German only)
• Data annex for the individual evaluation as an individual university (English only)
• Data annex for the individual evaluation as a university consortium (English only)