Baden-Württemberg's elite universities secure Excellence status for another seven years
Three universities in Baden-Württemberg have once again secured their place among Germany's elite institutions. Tübingen, Karlsruhe and Heidelberg will retain their status as Universities of Excellence for another seven years. The decision follows a rigorous evaluation by an international panel of experts.
The success means each university will now receive extra funding—between €10 million and €15 million per year—on top of their existing grants for research clusters.
The Excellence Strategy, Germany's flagship programme for top-tier research, reviews universities every seven years. Baden-Württemberg now holds more Universities of Excellence than any other German state. Science Minister Petra Olschowski welcomed the outcome, calling it a testament to the region's academic strength.
TU Dresden also remains an Excellence University, with five research clusters already funded. Meanwhile, the University of Freiburg has submitted a fresh application, hoping to join the elite group. A decision on its bid—and whether Baden-Württemberg will gain a fourth University of Excellence—will be announced on 2 October 2026.
Up to 15 universities nationwide could eventually receive the designation, depending on the results of future evaluations. The next round of applications will be reviewed after the 2026 deadline.
The renewed status guarantees Tübingen, Karlsruhe and Heidelberg substantial funding for the next decade. Each institution will use the extra resources to expand research and teaching. The final number of Excellence Universities will be confirmed once all pending applications, including Freiburg's, are assessed in 2026.
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