This week, the Northwest Alliance reached an important milestone in the Excellence Strategy. On April 28 and 29, 20 international reviewers visited the Bremen campus to assess the joint Excellence proposal submitted by the University of Bremen and the University of Oldenburg.
For both universities, these two days were undoubtedly among the most important of the year. The international Committee of Experts’ assessment of the Northwest Alliance at the Bremen campus on behalf of the German Science and Humanities Council marked the conclusion of evaluation activities in the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments.
In discussions with the reviewers, the universities presented their shared vision and outlined the strategies through which the Northwest Alliance aims to develop northwestern Germany into a strong, internationally visible scientific ecosystem that combines world-class research with social responsibility.
The University of Bremen and the University of Oldenburg submitted their Excellence Consortium proposal to the German Research Council in November 2025 under the title “Northwest Alliance: Connecting for Tomorrow.”
The leadership of both universities expressed heartfelt thanks to all those involved. “Your dedication and outstanding performance made this important step possible,” said Professor Jutta Günther, President of the University of Bremen. She also extended her thanks to supporters from politics, business, society, and academia. “We are backed by a strong community, which was clearly demonstrated by the contributions of our cooperation partners during the on-site visit. We are proud of this support and deeply grateful for the encouragement we have received.”
President Ralph Bruder of the University of Oldenburg added: “We entered this process with a strong, highly committed team. More than 200 people from our universities – including many researchers, faculty members, students, and administrative staff – worked together to make our Northwest Alliance tangible.” Bruder emphasized that the smooth running of the two-day event was also thanks to the exceptional efforts of numerous administrative staff from both campuses.
The German Science and Humanities Council’s decision on which universities and university consortia will receive funding for seven years beginning in January 2027 within the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments will be announced on October 2, 2026.
Impressions
Photos: Jens Lehmkühler / Universität Bremen
