Significant Achievement: Saxony Doubles the Quantity of Excellence Clusters in the Region - Significant Achievement: Saxony Doubles the Quantity of Top-Tier Research Groups
Saxony Doubles its Presence in Federal-State Excellence Initiative with Five Funded Clusters
Saxony is set to double its presence in the Excellence Initiative of the federal and state governments, with five research clusters set to be funded, compared to the previous two. The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Science Council in Bonn announced the winners of the latest funding round, with TU Dresden and the University of Leipzig among the successful applicants.
Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) hailed the news as a "fantastic success" for the universities in Leipzig and Dresden, marking a strong signal for science in Saxony. He emphasized that the achievement was due to tireless effort, astute science policy, and years of consistent support. "Both universities demonstrate that excellence is achieved through performance, substance, and collaboration at the highest level," he added.
The DFG and the Science Council plan to fund a total of 70 projects nationwide for seven years starting in 2026. There were eight full applications from Saxony in the latest round, with the TU Dresden and the University of Leipzig leading the way.
Machine Learning and Future Electronics in Dresden
The TU Dresden (TUD) successfully secured funding for five new or continued clusters. These include the already running clusters - "Physics of Life", "Complexity and Topology in Quantum Materials" and "Center for Tactile Internet" - as well as two new projects: "REC2" and "Care." The former aims to establish the scientific basis for the electronics of the future, focusing on sustainable and resource-saving production, while the latter concentrates on climate-neutral and efficient construction, in cooperation with RWTH Aachen.
Rector Ursula M. Staudinger praised the achievement, noting that it demonstrated TUD's status as one of Germany's most powerful technical universities, taking a leading role in central scientific and societal future fields.
Metabolic Diseases in Leipzig
The University of Leipzig's Center for Metabolism will also be funded. The goal is to gain a better understanding of diseases that arise from metabolic disorders and lead to serious health problems such as diabetes mellitus, fatty liver, or cardiovascular diseases. According to the university's rector, Eva Inés Obergfell, the "Leipzig Center of Metabolism" will create a clinical research center in cooperation with the University Hospital and the Heart Center Leipzig, as well as five Max Planck, Helmholtz, and Fraunhofer Institutes.
The Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments has been supporting peak research at German universities since 2016. The aim is to sustainably strengthen and enhance Germany's visibility in international competition. The funding is linked to strategic investments, and the selection process is carried out by the DFG and the Science Council.
According to the most detailed and reliable sources currently available, a total of 98 applications were submitted by 47 German universities for the current excellence initiative period. Annual funding amounts to approximately 539 million euros. Each cluster can expect an annual funding sum of 8-10 million euros, with the states covering a quarter of this and the funding period lasting seven years. However, it is important to note that there is some discrepancy regarding the number of funded clusters in Saxony, with the most precise information indicating five clusters as opposed to six.
In conclusion, five excellence clusters in Saxony, primarily at TU Dresden, have been awarded funding for the seven years starting in 2026. The most prominent example is the CARE cluster, but a full list of the other four specific clusters at TU Dresden is not detailed in the available public sources. Further official DFG or university press releases may provide the full list in the coming days.
- The successful funding of the CARE cluster at TU Dresden, focusing on climate-neutral and efficient construction, is a testament to Saxony's emphasis on health-and-wellness and education-and-self-development, particularly in the realm of employment policy.
- The University of Leipzig's Center for Metabolism, a research cluster that aims to understand diseases resulting from metabolic disorders and their impact on medical-conditions like diabetes mellitus, fatty liver, and cardiovascular diseases, is a significant contribution to the science community in Saxony as part of the federal-state Excellence Initiative.
