Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) is applying for the University of Excellence title. At the end of May, an international panel of experts conducted an on-site review. On 27 and 28 May, 12 expert reviewers visited LUH, travelling from Austria, Portugal, the USA and Canada, among other places. Wednesday’s programme consisted of presentations, tours and discussion groups at the main campus in the Nordstadt. On Thursday, the review moved to the Mechanical Engineering Campus in Garbsen, where it included interviews and open exchange with various status groups and decision-makers from the university. In total, approximately 200 LUH members and partners were involved in the events that made up the on-site review.
“The University of Excellence designation would make our university highly attractive for students and researchers. Many companies would also be drawn to Leibniz University Hannover – and that would strengthen the region overall,” said LUH president Prof. Dr. Volker Epping. He emphasised: “I thank everyone at the university and beyond it who has contributed to the work on the application, supported the on-site review or simply crossed their fingers for us. We are pleased about this positive feedback, which shows us that we are competing not just on behalf of the university, but also for the city, the region and the state of Lower Saxony!”
What is the concept behind LUH’s application?
LUH’s application is titled “Excellence. Impact. Change! United in the spirit of Leibniz“. Its vision is to combine scientific excellence and societal relevance. The focal point of the concept is the Leibniz Future Unit, with its six Future Labs. The intention is to create a new strategic structure in which research, transfer and teaching are more closely aligned with shared, future-oriented topics. At the same time, the Leibniz Future Unit represents a structural evolution of the university: moving away from largely isolated disciplinary approaches towards more open, theme- and project-oriented collaboration. The Future Labs are intended to consolidate expertise, set strategic priorities and provide new impetus for research that positively impacts society.
What happens next?
Following the written proposal, which LUH submitted on time in November 2025, the on-site review was the next decisive step on the path to becoming a University of Excellence. The experts will now assess whether the measures and goals outlined in the proposal can be applied and implemented in practice. The Excellence Commission will announce the final decision on 2 October 2026.
What is the Excellence Strategy?
The Excellence Strategy is a funding programme financed by the German federal and state governments. It aims to support cutting-edge research at German universities. This is intended to strengthen Germany’s position as a scientific centre and increase its international competitiveness.
The Excellence Strategy consists of two funding lines:
The Clusters of Excellence, which receive funding for projects in internationally competitive research fields. LUH is represented here with three clusters. And the Universities of Excellence funding line, which serves to strengthen individual universities or university consortia over the long-term – on the basis of successful Clusters of Excellence. In order to apply for University of Excellence status, a university must be a participant in at least two Clusters of Excellence.
Additional information about LUH’s University of Excellence application: www.uni-hannover.de/en/forschung/exzellenzstrategie.
Note to editors:
For further information, please contact Mechtild Freiin v. Münchhausen, head of Communications and Marketing and spokesperson for Leibniz University Hannover (tel. +49 511 762-5342, email: kommunikation@uni-hannover.de).
