With its strategy "The Comprehensive Research University – Heidelberg: The Future since 1386", Heidelberg University has been able to build on its many years of success in the Excellence Initiative. The central points of its strategy are the four profile-building Fields of Focus (FoF). Cooperation between researchers in the Fields of Focus is to be further expanded within the framework of the Excellence Strategy.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is the only German university that is also part of the Helmholtz Association. It was successful in the Excellence Strategy with its strategy "The Research University in the Helmholtz Association – Living the Change". The focus points of the proposal are further strengthening its top-level research, increasing exchange with society and creating sustainable career paths for early career researchers.

The University of Konstanz is the smallest university currently receiving funding in the Universities of Excellence funding line. It was able to convince with its proposal "University of Konstanz – creative.together", which aims to develop the full potential of its researchers in a culture of creativity.

The University of Tübingen was able to secure its status as a University of Excellence with the proposal "Research – Relevance – Responsibility. Open to New Challenges and a Global Scope of Action". The strategy aims to maintain the university’s position as an internationally visible and competitive research location in the long term.