Catching Up: Lower Saxony's Ambitious Scientific Pursuit
Lower Saxony's elite universities vying for top spots - Competitive Elite Units Contend for Position in Lower Saxony
Get ready, Lower Saxony! The title of having up to four elite universities could soon be in your grasp, thanks to the ongoing Excellence Initiative for Science. As of now, TU Braunschweig, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover Medical School, and the University of Oldenburg are competing tooth and nail to secure at least two groundbreaking research projects before the Excellence Clusters are decided on May 22, as per Science Minister Falko Mohrs.
These institutions are reaching out to secure their place as an Excellence University in the next phase, but for now, there's no elite university in the state. Before the dust settles, Lower Saxony will represent at least nine research projects in the coming evaluation, which will determine the funding of these projects for the next seven years.
Across the nation, a whopping 70 clusters are expected to receive funding, a significant increase from the previous 57, as agreed upon by the federal and state governments. A total of 98 applications flooded the last round, so the competition is fierce!
World-Class Research in Lower Saxony
Ever since February 2023, over one billion euros has been invested in science through the "Zukunft.Niedersachsen" program. This program piggybacks on the dividends of VW shares owned by the state, which flow to the Volkswagen Foundation. In 2023, a special dividend of around 576 million euros was added to the pot from the Porsche IPO.
Heart patches grown from stem cells, more efficient solar cells, and AI-controlled robots for better farming are just a few examples of the top-tier research underway in Lower Saxony. As Georg Schütte, the chairman of the Volkswagen Foundation, states, "We're playing in the first league of science, and our aim is to make an even more significant international impact."
Setting Our Sights High
Soon after taking office in late 2022, Falko Mohrs declared, "We want at least one Excellence University in Lower Saxony." He added, "We are convinced that our strong universities can achieve this in the next application round in 2026."
Keep your eyes peeled, folks! The race to the top is heating up, and only time will tell who will rise to the occasion.
- Lower Saxony
- Falko Mohr
- Hannover
- TU Braunschweig
- Hannover Medical School
Community aid in Lower Saxony could benefit from the success of their universities in the upcoming Excellence Clusters decision, as Falko Mohr, science minister of Lower Saxony, aims to secure at least two groundbreaking research projects. With the pledge to invest heavily in science through the "Zukunfert.Niedersachsen" program and the development of world-class research in fields like stem cell heart patches, more efficient solar cells, and AI-controlled robots, vocational training opportunities in these areas could also be a part of community aid initiatives in Lower Saxony, contributing to education-and-self-development within the region.
