Professor Martin Paul, Rector of Ruhr University Bochum (left), and Professor Manfred Bayer, Rector of TU Dortmund University (right), provide insights into the joint Excellence Strategy proposal.
Invitation
Town Hall Meeting on the Excellence Strategy Proposal
On November 13, the rectors of Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University will inform university members about the plans for the “Ruhr Innovation Lab.”
All members of Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University are invited to attend a digital town hall meeting on November 13, 2025 to learn about the current status of the Excellence Strategy application. Having just submitted the proposal, the two rectors, Professor Martin Paul and Professor Manfred Bayer, will discuss the next steps in the competition, share insights into the ideas behind the “Ruhr Innovation Lab” application, and answer your questions. The event is open to the two university communities and will begin at 1.15 p.m., lasting approximately 30 minutes. The Zoom webinar will be moderated by Christina Elmer, Professor of Digital Journalism at TU Dortmund University.
Login details for attending the town hall meeting
TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum secured three Clusters of Excellence in the first funding line of the Excellence Strategy. This laid the foundation to apply in the second funding line “Universities and Consortia of Excellence.” On November 12, 2025, the two partners submit their joint proposal, in which they present the idea of the “Ruhr Innovation Lab.” The concept describes a laboratory in which the partners test new, flexible forms of inter-university cooperation. They provide space for free thinking, thus enabling the university members to break new ground in science and strengthen the connection with industry and society. The ultimate goal is to develop solutions for building a future-proof society and to help shape transformation processes in the Ruhr region and worldwide.
