Shaping Berlin as a center of knowledge and innovation together

Four strong academic partners are joining forces to become the driving force behind Berlin as a center of knowledge and innovation: Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have come together to form the Berlin University Alliance.

Close up: International

Science is under pressure worldwide—trust is dwindling, populist movements are on the rise, and academic freedom is being undermined. This makes international cooperation all the more important. The Berlin University Alliance provides a wide range of opportunities for partnerships with leading universities around the world, research collaborations with the Global South, and exchanges with international researchers. Read more in the new Close up: International.

Image Credit: Berlin University Alliance

Close up: UNITE

By promoting UNITE as a startup factory for Berlin-Brandenburg in the EXIST lighthouse competition organized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the capital region is accelerating the transfer of excellent research results into innovative startups. The Berlin University Alliance is playing a key role in this new startup boost. Close up UNITE tells success stories from one of Europe's most dynamic startup ecosystems.

Image Credit: Michael Zalewski

Close up: Promoting Talent

The Berlin University Alliance supports professional and personal development in research and science management with tailor-made programs. A Close up with personalities who have seized opportunities.

Image Credit: Matthias Heyde

What is the Berlin University Alliance?

In 2018 the three major Berlin universities along with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin formed the Berlin University Alliance to create an institutional framework for their collaboration.

They submitted a joint proposal “Crossing Boundaries toward an Integrated Research Environment” in the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments. It was approved in 2019, and the Berlin University Alliance has been funded since November of that year as the only university consortium of excellence. The funding will initially run until 2026 and amount to 144.5 million euros.

Working Together

Addressing Global Challenges Jointly

In the Grand Challenge Initiatives and Einstein Research Units (ERU) researchers of the Berlin University Alliance work closely with external partners in academia and society to address global challenges of the 21st century.

Image Credit: shutterstock / Vlad Karavaev

International Partnerships

The Berlin University Alliance has entered into strategic partnerships with the University of Melbourne, the University of Singapore, and the University of Oxford. A Center for Advanced Studies was founded with the University of Oxford.

Image Credit: Pexels / Photo by Shaun Iwasawa

Opportunities for Students

Students can benefit from the university collaboration, for example, through jointly held classes or the StuROpx program.

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Support for Doctoral Candidates

Early career researchers can benefit from the Graduate Studies Support Program offered by the four BUA members.

Image Credit: Bernd Wannenmacher

Training for Researchers

The Berlin Leadership Academy provides training in leadership skills for professors and research managers. “ProFiL” supports women in academic positions.

Image Credit: Miguel Á. Padriñán/pexels.com

Freie Universität Berlin in the Exzellence Initiative cresearch competition (2007-2019)

From 2007 to 2019, Freie Universität Berlin was funded as a university of excellence as part of the Excellence Initiative launched by the German federal and state governments. The Excellence Initiative is the predecessor competition to the Excellence Strategy.

Image Credit: Bernd Wannenmacher

The BUA campaign THE OPEN LAB (2023 bis 2025)

The communication campaign “THE OPEN LAB (2023 to 2025)” has made Berlin University Alliance even more visible both in Berlin's scientific community and internationally.

Image Credit: Berlin University Alliance

Important Links and Resources

The website of the Berlin University Alliance offers news, events, and other resources as well as background information about the various goals and fields of activity of the alliance. It is the organization's central information platform.