Huge success for the Rhine-Main science location: The Technical University of Darmstadt, the Goethe University Frankfurt and the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz will be able to bear the title of “University of Excellence” from 2027. This was announced by the Science Council in Bonn.
The three universities applied together as the Alliance of Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) for the title, which is associated with high reputation and millions of dollars. According to the Hessian Ministry of Science, the excellence strategy of the federal and state governments is the most important research funding competition in Germany.
Great praise from the state government
“The Rhine-Main universities are the first universities in Hesse to receive the coveted title of excellence and the first cross-state association in the excellence strategy,” praised Science Minister Timon Gremmels (SPD). Starting next year, the RMU will receive funding totaling up to 155 million euros over a period of seven years, as the Ministry of Science announced. The federal government provides 75 percent of the financing.
Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) called the excellence title a "great success and a milestone for the excellent research landscape in Hesse". The title is evidence of the high quality, innovative strength and strategic skill of the research institutions.
Disappointment in Central Hesse
A Central Hessian association consisting of Justus Liebig University of Giessen and Philipps University of Marburg also applied but was unable to prevail in the competition. “Of course we regret that we did not receive the title of University of Excellence and the associated funding,” said Marburg University President Prof. Thomas Nauss. “At the same time, we are emerging from the competition with a further strengthened profile.”
Joy and pride at the Rhine-Main universities
As a strategic alliance of the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU), the three universities cover a broad and interdisciplinary range of subjects, as the Ministry of Science explained. They cooperate closely with more than 90,000 students and 1,500 professorships in research, studies and teaching, in promoting young talent and in transferring them to business and society.
RMU spokeswoman and President of TU Darmstadt, Tanja Brühl, explained: “Today’s decision to promote it as an excellence association is an outstanding success for our alliance. I am extremely pleased about this decision and am very proud of what we have achieved together as RMU.”
According to its own statements, the RMU bundles its competencies into the four profile areas of Data (data sciences & AI), Health (life sciences & medicine), Matter (materials & natural sciences) and Society (humanities & social sciences).
In addition to the RMU, another university association and three universities will be able to hold the title of excellence in the future. According to the words of Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU) and Lower Saxony's Science Minister Falko Mohrs (SPD) as deputy chairman of the Joint Science Conference (GWK), the universities in Freiburg, Jena and Cologne as well as the TU Dortmund and the University of Bochum ("Ruhr Innovation Lab") are new.
Ten universities of excellence so far
Ten universities and associations in Germany have long been able to call themselves universities of excellence: RWTH Aachen, the University of Bonn, the TU Dresden, the University of Hamburg, the University of Heidelberg, the KIT Karlsruhe, the LMU Munich, the TU Munich, the University of Tübingen and an association of three universities in Berlin.
Their funding was extended for a further seven years in the spring. Universities of excellence must undergo a review of their funding requirements every seven years. Hesse or Rhineland-Palatinate have not yet been represented.
A total of 689 million euros
In addition to funding as a university of excellence, there is also funding for so-called clusters as part of the so-called excellence strategy. This involves special research projects at individual universities or at several universities together. Only those who can demonstrate a certain number of clusters have a chance of winning the coveted title of University of Excellence. Six clusters are currently being funded in Hesse and one in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Multi-stage assessment process
Every year, the federal and state governments provide 687 million euros as part of the Excellence Strategy. 75 percent of the funding comes from the federal government and 25 percent from the respective state. A funding decision in the Excellence Strategy is preceded by a multi-stage review process, as the Ministry of Science explained.
After the universities submitted their applications in November 2025, a group of internationally renowned scientists assessed the institutions on site in spring 2026. “The Excellence Commission made the final decision on funding in a selection meeting lasting several days,” the ministry said. The committee includes 39 international scientific experts as well as federal and state science ministers.
