The Excellence Strategy

Clusters of Excellence

In the ongoing first round of the Excellence Strategy, the University of Freiburg received approval in the first funding line for the Clusters of Excellence CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies and livMatS – Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems. These two Clusters of Excellence took up their work on 1 January 2019.

CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies

Signalling across scales – from mechanistic understanding to control-of-function

The cells of complex organisms constantly exchange biological signals – including signalling molecules, metabolites, physical stimuli, and combinations thereof. This dense network of dynamic signalling processes enables cells to coordinate their tasks, form complex tissues and adapt to environmental conditions. The cluster of excellence CIBSS aims to understand this “language of life” and to generate new fundamental knowledge in the field of biological signalling studies by taking a new approach that focuses on the integration of biological signals, i.e. the mechanisms by which different signals are processed across spatial and temporal scales. Building on the growing understanding of signal integration across scales, research groups in CIBSS are also developing methods to precisely control biological signals – allowing us not only to understand but also to communicate in the “language of life”. To achieve these objectives, CIBSS combines innovative approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration and brings together cross-institutional expertise from the life, physical, and engineering sciences, as well as ethics and law.

The fundamental signalling research at CIBSS provides the basis for identifying the causes of disease, developing new treatments and opening up opportunities to make agriculture more robust and sustainable, thus addressing global challenges in health, agriculture and food security.

livMatS – Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems

The livMatS Cluster of Excellence has been significantly shaping scientific work on materials research at the University of Freiburg and beyond since 2019. This includes, for example, the areas of energy storage, multi-material 3D printing, glass printing and soft robotics, as well as the assessment of technology acceptance. The cluster has established two professorships and five junior research groups, which strengthen materials science in Freiburg by providing new impetus. The cluster has been particularly successful in the area of third-party funding: its scientists have raised an additional 25 million euros for projects. The publication of over 400 articles in more than 180 scientific journals and the registration of several patents reflect the achievements of the research team.

livMatS has promoted interdisciplinary exchange in collaborations with Penn State University in the USA and the Stuttgart Cluster of Excellence Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC). The collaboration with Stuttgart in particular has resulted in two innovative and highly acclaimed biomimetic pavilions that make livMatS research issues tangible to the public. livMatS is part of the interdisciplinary focus area Pathways to Sustainability in the University of Freiburg’s research profile.

The Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments

The Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments has the aim of strengthening Germany as a centre for science and research in the long term and further improving its international competitiveness. It thus continues the development and strengthening of German universities already begun with the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments. The programme is implemented jointly by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Science and Humanities Council (WR).

The programme includes the two funding lines Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence and is designed to run for an indefinite period. Further information is available on the websites of the German Research Foundation and the German Science and Humanities Council.

German Research Foundation

German Science and Humanities Council

Der LivMats-Pavillon im botanischen Garten der Universität

Draft proposals in the Clusters of Excellence funding line of the Excellence Strategy

Two University of Freiburg cluster initiatives have taken an important step forward in the current round of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments. The German Research Foundation has invited the Freiburg cluster initiatives Constitution as Practice in Times of Transformation (ConTrans) and Future Forests – Adapting Complex Social-Ecological Forest Systems to Global Change to submit full proposals by 22 August 2024. This milestone was preceded by a collaborative process involving the University leadership and more than 200 researchers: The University’s participation in the current round of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments has been in preparation since February 2021, embedded in the overall strategic process “University of Freiburg 2030”.

The existing University of Freiburg Clusters of Excellence, Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS) and Living, Adaptive, and Energy-Autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS), will submit proposals for a second term of funding.

Overall strategic process ‘University of Freiburg 2030’

Die Fassade des Kollegiengebäude 1 spiegelt sich in der Glasfassade der Universitätsbibliothek

Constitution as Practice in Times of Transformation (ConTrans)

Modern constitutions are at the centre of sociopolitical hopes and conflicts. Often understood as foundational documents of modern nation-states, they are associated with permanence and stability. However, the limits of the modern conception of constitutions become apparent when it comes to understanding the basic orders of societies and communities across space and time. Constitutions are based on social practices, making them a factor in the process of adaptation of social orders. This dimension becomes especially prominent in times of economic, social, and political change and crisis but has so far been neglected. This implies the need for a consistently interdisciplinary approach.

Future Forests – Adapting Complex Social-ecological Forest Systems to Global Change

Forests cover approximately 30 per cent of the global landmass and render numerous essential ecosystem services (ES): They provide renewable resources, mitigate the impact of climate change, support human health, and preserve biodiversity. In the face of rapid climate change, novel ecosystem disturbances, and the introduction or loss of species, large expanses of forests are evolving towards novel ecosystems that are unprecedented in evolutionary history. It is highly uncertain to what extent these novel ecosystems will be capable of rendering the desired ES and preserving biodiversity. The changes will occur so quickly that natural adaptation processes will not be able to keep pace with them.

A look back

Initial concepts for possible Cluster of Excellence initiatives were reviewed last year. As a result, the university leadership asked seven initiatives to further develop their concepts in July 2022.

As a whole, the seven Cluster of Excellence initiatives and the two Clusters of Excellence already receiving funding are a clear reflection of the university’s research profile and proven research strengths: All eleven faculties were participating in the highly interdisciplinary proposals.

All seven initiatives submitted draft proposals. Two of these were considered for a further round. The University of Freiburg is convinced of the quality of all draft proposals and will develop them further in other formats.

Learn more

To the research profile

Die Beschriftung FRIAS Freiburg Institute for Advances Studies an einer Fassade.

A look back at the Excellence Initiative

The German federal and state governments enacted the Excellence Initiative in June 2005 with the goal of consolidating Germany’s position as a center for research in the long term, enhancing its international competitiveness, and training future leaders for universities and research institutions. Organized as a competition among all German universities, the initiative consisted initially of the three funding lines Institutional Strategies, Clusters of Excellence, and Graduate Schools, for which a total of 4.6 billion euros was made available in the course of two funding periods (2005–2012, 2010–2017).

In both rounds of the Excellence Initiative, the University of Freiburg was successful with the Cluster BIOSS – Centre for Biological Signalling Studies and the Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM). In the second round, it also convinced with the Cluster BrainLinks-BrainTools and in the first round with its future concept, in which its international research college Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) played a central role.

SGBM

BIOSS

BrainLinks-BrainTools

FRIAS

Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM)

The Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM) offers a dynamic interdisciplinary training program that prepares students for future scientific challenges. Its ultimate goal is to create a top notch “Life Scientist of the Future” who can assimilate knowledge and techniques from various disciplines as well as combine basic with translational research, biotechnology and drug development.

To SGBM

BIOSS – Centre for Biological Signalling Studies

Biological signalling processes are the key regulators of cellular activity in all types of cells in living organisms. The BIOSS – Centre for Biological Signalling Studies in Freiburg uses modern analytical methods and strategies of synthetic biology to study biological signalling processes in a creative and playful way. The main focus of research at BIOSS is to initiate and promote a dialectic process between scientists using analytical and synthetic approaches in signalling research.

To BIOSS

BrainLinks-BrainTools

BrainLinks-BrainTools unites life sciences, engineering, and clinical applications in Freiburg, thus anchoring neurotechnology as a research axis between three faculties of the University – Biology, Medicine, and Engineering – and various cooperation partners. These emerging opportunities for strong joint research and education between neuroscience and engineering deliver novel interdisciplinary results in an area highly relevant for society as a whole.

To BrainLinks-BrainTools

Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS)

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) is the international research college of the University of Freiburg. As an integral part of the university, the Institute unites under its roof the humanities and social sciences, medicine, the natural and life sciences, and engineering. FRIAS offers leading academics as well as outstanding early-stage researchers from Freiburg and around the world the opportunity to concentrate exclusively on their individual or joint research projects for a certain period of time. It is in this way that the Institute creates a unique space and atmosphere for research within the university.

To FRIAS