Clusters of excellence
Clusters of excellence bundle the research potential at seats of German universities, and in doing so boost their international awareness and competitive capability. Their core principle prescribes scientific networking and co-operation in notably forward-looking fields of research. In addition to various facilities at the universities, this also allows non-university research institutes and industrial partners to become involved in the clusters. The clusters of excellence are intended to become a crucial element of the respective colleges' strategic planning and to accelerate the processes for setting thematic priorities. On average, each cluster receives annual funding of 6.5 million euros over a period of five years. Two of these clusters have been honoured in this way in the Rhine-Neckar region, both of them at the University of Heidelberg.
"Cellular Networks" cluster
The "Cellular Networks" cluster of excellence in Heidelberg was set up to explain how cellular networks function and to transform them into mathematical models. Collaboration between biologists, doctors, chemists, physicists and mathematicians is necessary to achieve this. The scientists should work together to describe the behaviour and dynamic changes of complicated biological networks and learn to understand their regulatory mechanisms. This knowledge can be used as the basis for developing new therapies for combating viruses (e.g. the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV). The cluster is divided into four closely intertwined project areas and several central technology platforms.
"Asia and Europe in a Global Context" cluster
The "Asia and Europe in a Global Context" cluster of excellence in Heidelberg: "Alternating asymmetries in cultural exchange processes" has the goal of investigating cultural relations between Europeans and Asians. Co-operation with academic partners from Asia allows the asymmetries of these relations to be examined from both sides, thereby overcoming the eurocentric perspective. Scientists from Asian and European-related disciplines are working in four fields of research ("Governance and Administration", "Publicity and Media", "Health and Environment" and "History and Cultural Heritage") to examine phenomena that occur between individual cultural backgrounds, language areas, states and the corresponding specialised fields.