ExStra > What Is ExStra?

What Is ExStra?

Kegel

About ExStra

German universities perform top-level research, and selected universities receive support from the German federal and state governments. To further strengthen the international competitiveness of research at German universities, the federal and state governments have established the Excellence Strategy (ExStra) as a permanent funding programme. Researchers and universities enjoy a completely free choice of research fields and profile areas. Under the Excellence Strategy, selected Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence were funded with an annual budget of EUR 533 million until 2025. In 2026, the total budget was increased to EUR 687 million per year.

The key objective of the Excellence Strategy is to strengthen top-level research in areas that are internationally competitive, to institutionally strengthen German universities, and to advance the development of the German higher education system. To do so, the Excellence Strategy comprises two separate but intertwined funding lines.

Clusters of Excellence

In the first round of funding in 2018, the Excellence Commission selected 57 Clusters of Excellence. In May 2025, further Clusters have been selected based on the same two-stage process. 70 Clusters of Excellence receive funding in the second round of the Excellence Strategy.

Funding for Clusters of Excellence is generally provided for two funding periods of seven years each. After these two periods it is possible to submit a new proposal, even in the same research area.

The funding line is administered by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation). Clusters of Excellence are applied for by universities and are formed by outstanding researchers with the aim of collaborating in a specific research field. Supporting the latter with diverse opportunities for cooperation and research infrastructures, Clusters of Excellence provide excellent conditions for top-level research.

Read more on the DFG’s website

Universities of Excellence

This funding line is designed to fund institutional strategies that promise to strengthen universities as a whole, i.e. with regard to their performance in the areas of research, teaching, research infrastructure, knowledge and technology transfer, governance, personnel development and internationalisation (annual budget: EUR 148 million). Universities are only eligible to submit a proposal under this funding line once they have acquired funding for at least two Clusters of Excellence (or three in the case of University Consortia).

Decisions on the Universities of Excellence will be made in 2026. From 2027 onwards, up to four additional universities or university consortia can be funded under the Universities of Excellence funding line. In addition, places freed up by universities leaving the programme may be reallocated through a new call. Funding decisions are based exclusively on a science-led selection process.

Universities of Excellence or University Consortia of Excellence receive funding to further strengthen their institutional profile and international position in research based on their Clusters of Excellence. This funding line is administered by the Wissenschaftsrat (WR, German Science and Humanities Council).

Read more on the website of the Wissenschaftsrat

Clusters of Excellence

Clusters of Excellence

Universities of Excellence

Universities of Excellence

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Facts and Figures

How does the review of clusters and universities of excellende work? Who is funded? Which panels are involved?

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Facilitators and Organisation

Who makes the Excellence Strategy possible? How does it work and how are the ministers of the federal and states governments involved?

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On the History of ExStra

Find out about the Excellence Initiative, the predecessor of ExStra

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