Facilitators and Organisation
The German federal and state governments adopted the Excellence Strategy in 2016 as a joint, permanent funding programme. The federal government bears 75 percent of the costs, while the respective state in which the funded institution is located bears 25 percent. The ministers responsible for science and research are involved in the selection decisions as members of the Excellence Commission.
Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz (GWK)
The Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz (GWK, Joint Science Conference) is a central committee dedicated to the Excellence Strategy in which the ministers of the federal and states governments responsible for science and research and the ministers of finance discuss issues relating to research funding, science and research policy, and the science and research system. As one of the joint funding programmes of the federal government and the states, the Excellence Strategy is particularly representative of the GWK’s guiding motto “Strengthening science together”.
Further Information: www.gwk-bonn.de
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is in charge of the development and implementation of the Clusters of Excellence funding line, and it also organises the review process for the Clusters of Excellence. As a self-governing research funding organisation, the DFG promotes research in Germany.
Further Information: www.dfg.de
Wissenschaftsrat (WR)
The Wissenschaftsrat (WR, German Science and Humanities Council) administers the Universities of Excellence funding line. It organises the selection of the Universities of Excellence and their evaluation. As an advisory body for science policy, the Council provides advice to the German federal and state governments on all issues relating to the content and structural development of science, research and the higher education sector. It has long-standing expertise in the area of institutional evaluation.
Further Information: www.wissenschaftsrat.de
