Research

Research at UA Ruhr is developing at a rapid pace. By bundling the complementary strengths of our partner universities, we successfully open up innovative research fields. With joined forces, we thus form critical masses in terms of personnel and infrastructure that are indispensable for handling large research topics.

Science Cloud Outstanding examples of that standard-setting collaboration include the Flagship Programs “Materials Chain” and “Ruhr Explores Solvation” (RESOLV), set up in 2015, where numerous researchers from the UA Ruhr universities work hand in hand, often in cooperation with other third-party and international partners. The research cluster RESOLV is financed by the DFG Excellence Initiative.

Moreover, 100 additional joint research institutions and projects have been established spanning all disciplines, from American studies to cell biology.

One of our strengths is nurturing young talent. Young researchers are promoted through various interdisciplinary programs, including individual coaching, as well as in numerous Graduate Schools. The Mercator Research Center Ruhr supports this unique cooperation by providing 46 million € for collaborative research endeavours.

A key tool for fostering the collaboration between the universities are the UA Ruhr professorships, funded by MERCUR with up to one million euros. The professorships help define a competitive UA Ruhr profile and have so far been awarded to Prof. Havenith-Newen to facilitate the continuous expansion of the UA Ruhr Flagship Program RESOLV, and to Prof. Rahmann in order to pool competencies at the UA Ruhr Center for Computational Biology. A third professorship in the Flagship Program Materials Chain has been awarded to Prof. Wiederkehr.

A crucial source of ideas and inspiration is the UA Ruhr Research Council, whose eminent members have dedicated themselves to identifying new Flagship Programs and research fields in which the UA Ruhr has attained or will attain a leading position in the national and international marketplace.

Research Council

Staffed by senior academics, the joint UA Ruhr Research Council provides an ongoing stream of creative ideas and recommendations to strengthen the research endeavors in the Ruhr Area. The Council is the powerhouse that drives the continuous expansion of UA Ruhr by analyzing the existing and initiating potential research cooperations. Building and enhancing joint Flagship Programs is at the heart of its agenda, as they have propelled UA Ruhr to the top in national and international research and will continue to cement its leading position in the years to come. The Research Council is composed of 15 renowned scientists, including the three Vice Rectors Research as ex-officio members.