Front row, from left to right: Professor Barbara Albert, Professor Louise Fresco and Professor Susan Kauzlarich. Back row, from left to right: Professor Rocky Tuan, Professor Manfred Bayer, Professor Martin Paul and Professor Martin Stratmann. Board members Professor Daniel Diermeier and Professor Makoto Gonokami were unfortunately unable to attend the meeting. © 2024 Simon Bierwald / INDEED Photography

University Alliance Ruhr International Advisory Board Visits the Ruhr Area

The universities in the Ruhr region have been collaborating under the umbrella of the UA Ruhr since 2007. The path for the future was set in extensive consultations with a high-profile international committee.

Members of the International Advisory Board of the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) convened in person for the first time on October 4 and 5, 2024 in Bochum. At this meeting, the visitors discussed the future direction of the UA Ruhr with the rectors of Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen; they expressed how impressed they were with the progress already made.

University Alliance Ruhr

Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen collaborate strategically under the umbrella of the University Alliance Ruhr. By joining forces, the activities of the partner universities are systematically expanded. Following the principle of “three universities, one community, endless opportunities”, more than 100 collaborations have been established in research, teaching and administration. With more than 110,000 students and almost 1,300 professors, the UA Ruhr is one of the largest and most efficient science hubs in Germany.

The International Advisory Board was founded in April 2024. Its members are six proven experts in science and science management from Europe, Asia and North America. They advise the network on long-term strategic planning and provide support with international benchmarking and the expansion of international networks.

The participants took time out from their animated discussions to visit the Research Center for Engineering Smart Product-Service Systems (ZESS) at Mark 51°7. The former Opel factory site epitomizes the successful transformation of the Ruhr region from an industrial landscape to a science and research hotspot.

Members of the International Advisory Board

Professor Martin Stratmann former President of the Max Planck Society
Professor Daniel Diermeier (USA), Chancellor (President) of Vanderbilt University, Nashville
Professor Louise O. Fresco (Netherlands), former President of Wageningen University and Research
Professor Makoto Gonokami (Japan), President of RIKEN, former President of the University of Tokyo
Professor Susan M. Kauzlarich (USA), Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Davis
Professor Rocky Tuan (China), Vice-Chancellor (President) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

“The Ruhr region, boasting a high density of universities and non-university research institutions, has great potential to establish itself as a European hotspot for science and innovation. The UA Ruhr is fulfilling its social responsibility to help shape the transition to a sustainable economy in the region,” says Professor Louise Fresco, member of the International Advisory Board and former President of Wageningen University and Research.

In addition to potential new concepts for the future direction of the UA Ruhr, the meeting also focused on the Research Alliance Ruhr, which brings together top international research on issues relevant to civil society.

“This flagship project shows how important it is to adopt an interdisciplinary approach and to pool the strengths of the universities in order to master the major challenges of our time. The Research Alliance is yet another major step in the transformation of an outstanding university research landscape with the aim of making the UA Ruhr even more competitive,” says Professor Martin Stratmann, Chairman of the International Advisory Board and former President of the Max Planck Society.

Research Alliance Ruhr

The four Research Centers of the Research Alliance Ruhr are focused on the following research topics: health and the environment, sustainable chemistry, new energy systems and data security. In addition, the College for Social Sciences and Humanities promotes cross-disciplinary international exchange. The Research Alliance Ruhr was initiated by the Ruhr Conference. The NRW state government is funding the start-up phase from 2022 to 2025 with a total of 123 million euros.

As representatives of the University Alliance Ruhr, Duisburg-Essen Rector Professor Barbara Albert, Dortmund Rector Professor Manfred Bayer and Bochum Rector Professor Martin Paul gained valuable insights from the two-day meeting: “We’d like to thank the International Advisory Board for the fruitful discussions. The expertise and commitment of our colleagues are invaluable for the further development of our strategy for the University Alliance Ruhr. Together, we are sending out a powerful message about the importance of science in the Ruhr region.”