The Excellence Strategy

The Excellence competition consists of two funding lines that build on each other. On 22 May 2025, the German Council of Science and Humanities announced its funding decision for the Excellence Clusters funding line. The University of Freiburg received two approvals: for the existing CIBSS Cluster of Excellence and the newly submitted Future Forests Cluster of Excellence

This means that the University is also eligible to apply for the second funding line for the University of Excellence. The University submitted its letter of intent to participate in this funding line on 27 June 2025. It submitted its self-assessment report for this on 1 August 2025 and its application for the University of Excellence funding line on 12 November 2025.

The last major milestone before the decision on the University of Excellence funding line is still pending. At the beginning of June 2026, an international group of experts will visit the University of Freiburg to learn about and evaluate the concepts, achievements and structures described in the application. The University is currently preparing intensively for the site visit.

The site visit is a key assessment tool in the Excellence strategy process, which the German Council of Science and Humanities uses to conduct individual evaluations of universities. An international team of experts engages in direct dialogue with the University of Freiburg to learn about and evaluate the concepts, achievements and structures described in the application.

Numerous members of the University of Freiburg are involved in the preparation and implementation of the site visit. The persons involved will soon be informed individually. In addition, partners from the regional transfer ecosystem as well as from the European networks EUCOR, EPICUR and LERU and from global partnerships will participate. Many of them have already actively supported the exchange, the preparations and the application process and have confirmed their participation in the site visit. This broad support reflects the close networking and solidarity of the University of Freiburg.

The site visit will begin with a welcome and joint introduction by the Rectorate, in which we present the University and the Excellence application. This is followed by various discussion and exchange formats in which the proposed measures are explored in depth, explained and discussed. The assessors will then get to know selected areas of the university and engage in dialogue with University members and representatives of our partner organisations. This includes three tours of exemplary locations at the University where our academic excellence is particularly impressive.

On the second day, discussions will take place in smaller groups with various representatives of the University, including representatives from University leadership, the faculties, the students, the University committees, the administration and scientists at various stages of their careers.

On 12 November 2025, the University of Freiburg submitted its application entitled ‘The Future Research University: Sparking Change That Matters’ as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments. The application focuses on rethinking the University’s self-image in the 21st century and closely linking scientific curiosity with social responsibility. In a time marked by upheaval and uncertainty, the University of Freiburg sees one of its central tasks as contributing to social, economic and cultural developments in a solution-oriented manner – in dealing with climate change, through the development of medical therapies or in shaping cultural and digital transformations.

The application makes it clear how the University of Freiburg is achieving this goal: with interdisciplinary research that provides orientation; with teaching that encourages critical thinking and self-reflection; and with transfer that carries the social impact of knowledge far beyond the campus. Targeted measures, known as Sparks, are driving change in all areas of the university and strengthening it across the board, in its structures as well as in a culture that promotes trust and belonging, from which identification and shared commitment to the University can flourish.

The application is embedded in the ‘UFR 2040’ agenda for the future. As a strategic compass, it brings together the long-term development of the University in research, teaching, transfer, University culture and governance.

For universities, the status of Excellence means far-reaching institutional strengthening with a wide range of effects, including:

• Long-term additional funding: Universities of Excellence receive substantial additional funding over several years to strategically develop their research.
• Strengthening cutting-edge research: The status enables the expansion of internationally visible research profiles, Clusters of Excellence and innovative research structures.
• International visibility and attractiveness: The title enhances international reputation and helps to attract outstanding scientists, talented individuals and cooperation partners.
• Freedom to innovate: Universities of Excellence can strengthen their research profile, promote interdisciplinary projects and test contemporary career and funding models.
• Positive effects for other areas such as studies, teaching and knowledge transfer: Students and other areas of the University, such as knowledge transfer, also benefit from research-oriented teaching, better infrastructure and stronger links to society, business and politics.

Overall, the status of Excellence enables sustainable quality assurance and strategic development at the highest academic level.

Members of the University of Freiburg have been and continue to be closely involved in the entire process in a variety of ways, including through:

• The opportunity to participate in University-wide, topic-specific working groups such as research, governance and knowledge transfer, whose work results have been incorporated into the development of the excellence application.
• The development and elaboration of outlines and applications for clusters of excellence.
• Focus groups to explore and develop proposed measures for the Excellence application.
• Feedback rounds with various university groups during the application process.
• Involvement in the preparation of the site visit and participation in various formats.