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University of Freiburg launches innovation fund for creative ideas!
The University of Freiburg is applying for funding for the Excellence Strategy and is calling for innovative ideas to be submitted by May 31, 2025.
University of Freiburg launches innovation fund for creative ideas!
On March 9, 2025, the University of Freiburg will prepare an application for the University of Excellence funding line as part of the federal and state excellence strategy. This initiative, which is targeted at numerous German universities, was launched to promote top research at universities and intensify international exchange. The application represents a significant step towards positioning the University of Freiburg more strongly in the competition for funding.
Members of the university from the areas of science and science management have until May 31, 2025 to apply for the newly launched Unicorn Fund. We are looking for creative ideas that aim to fundamentally renew individual areas of the university. This project is intended not only to promote innovation, but also to increase the appeal of the entire university. Applicants whose projects are selected and who manage to be successful among the universities of excellence can receive funding of up to 300,000 euros over three years, which means significant funds for the implementation of innovative concepts.
The Excellence Initiative and its goals
The Excellence Initiative of the German Science and Humanity Council and the German Research Foundation (DFG) aims to promote outstanding research and create optimal conditions for young scientists. Loud Wikipedia The aim is to deepen cooperation between disciplines and institutions and increase the international attractiveness of German universities. This funding not only benefits the selected universities, but also the entire scientific landscape in Germany.
The initiative has its roots in lengthy negotiations between the federal government and the federal states. It enables over 30 universities to access various funding, divided into three main lines. This includes the establishment of graduate schools, the creation of clusters of excellence and the selection of universities of excellence that can be comprehensively supported.
Current developments and perspectives
As part of the last selection round, which was carried out in 2019, several universities were able to maintain their excellence status. The renowned institutions include the RWTH Aachen, the FU Berlin and the University of Heidelberg. New universities such as the University of Bonn and the Technical University of Berlin have also successfully received funding. This selection makes it clear that the Excellence Initiative not only strengthens existing top universities, but also brings new players into focus.
However, a report by the WZB Berlin Social Science Center questions whether the initiative has achieved positive effects overall, particularly with regard to diversity and long-term changes in the education system. Critics believe that the initiative's focus is too much on research and that it is time to also pay more attention to teaching and diversity. Nevertheless, there are voices that praise the initiative and recommend that it be further developed so that it can continue to have a positive influence on the scientific landscape in Germany in the future.
In Germany it is still important to increase the visibility and international appeal of universities. With its commitment to the Unicorn Fund and the Excellence Strategy, the University of Freiburg shows that it is prepared to take creative approaches to assert itself in this highly competitive landscape and to provide further impetus for the future of its institution.