Ruhr University Bochum will ensure its academic success and financial stability.
Financial Sustainability 2035
Ruhr University Bochum strengthens its financial footing
Ruhr University Bochum is taking action to safeguard its financial stability and ability to act. Immediate and strategic measures will create greater financial room for manoeuvre in the coming years.
Since 2022, Ruhr University Bochum has been working to consolidate its budget and eliminate its annual deficit. The persistently difficult financial situation now requires these efforts to be intensified and accelerated to safeguard the university’s ability to act. The Rectorate has therefore adopted a package of immediate measures and begun developing strategic initiatives. The aim is to restore lasting financial room for manoeuvre to support the university’s academic development.
Securing scientific success and financial stability together
Just a few days ago, the entire university celebrated its success in the Excellence Strategy. How does this success fit with the need for financial consolidation? Funding from the Excellence Strategy and other funding programmes—known as third-party funding—opens up new academic opportunities for Ruhr University Bochum. However, this funding is largely earmarked for specific purposes and therefore cannot offset the structural deficit in the university’s core budget. Academic success and financial consolidation are therefore compatible: a university with a strong academic profile needs a financially sustainable core budget.
No university in permanent austerity mode
“The Rectorate is aware that the measures will require considerable effort from the university’s units and staff. Once the consolidation process is complete, there will again be financial room for manoeuvre—for research and teaching, for infrastructure and digitalisation, and for new academic developments,” says Chancellor Achim Dilling. “We explicitly do not want a university in permanent austerity mode. We will put Ruhr University Bochum in a strong position for the future, both academically and financially. The two go hand in hand.” Professor Achim von Keudell, Vice-Rector for Planning and Structure, adds: “Academic excellence requires a university that can maintain its ability to act over the long term, plan reliably, allocate its resources strategically and set its own priorities.”