The University of Bonn’s Excellence Strategy

WE invest in people

We invest primarily in researchers—at all career levels. The highly prestigious Hertz Chairs, for example, further heighten the profile of the Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs), while the Schlegel Chairs, named after August Wilhelm Schlegel, serve to increase research output in areas targeted for development. In addition, we are systematically expanding the support services and structures available for early-career researchers to help them work independently as early on as possible. Argelander Tenure-Track Professorships create opportunities for early-career researchers to pursue interdisciplinary research questions.

Making gains toward greater equal opportunities and greater gender equality at the University is another top priority. In cooperation with the faculties we have implemented measures designed to significantly increase female representation in the professorate. Thus in developing our Excellence Strategy in 2018, the decision was made to raise our target of female representation in the professorate to 30 percent by 2026. By the end of 2024 we had already achieved this milestone, two years ahead of schedule. This success was made possible through an array of programs and measures. These included the internally developed STEP program, implemented with Excellence funding, which provides ongoing support for female researchers throughout their careers at the University of Bonn. There is also the federal and state Programme for Women Professors 2030, which provides funding to promote the initial appointment of women to professorships.

WE create impact

The fruits of our excellent research should go to everyone’s benefit. We are thus committed to knowledge and innovation transfer with the aim of shaping societal progress and change.

Our researchers find fundamental and application-oriented answers to questions relevant regionally, nationally, Europe-wide and globally. As a result, we are able to reach a spectrum of different target groups: children and teens, future students, aspiring young scientists and academics, renowned researchers, ambitious entrepreneurs, established businesses and alumni around the world.

Curiosity manifests in many ways, and people’s learning habits vary, which is why we utilize different channels for our science communications. These include events like the Science Festival, Children's University and the Science Rally, the lecture series “Physics for Grandparents and Other Curious People”, the forsch Magazine or our research podcast ‘Hypothesis’. P26, the University of Bonn's House of Research and Knowledge, is a place for interaction and dialogue between the academic and scientific community and general society, where exhibitions, panel discussions and seminars are held. Targeted transfer activities—initiated by our Transfer Centre enaCom, for example—also help build bridges between the academic and scientific community, the business sector and society at large. See „Science for everyone“ for a summary listing of our diverse services.