The meeting focused on joint plans for the future. Important decisions are currently being made regarding both the Excellence Strategy and regional cooperation. Both senates unanimously support this development.
“This joint meeting was a successful start and has opened a new chapter in the long history of cooperation between our universities,” said University President Jutta Günther.
“We are committed to promoting excellent research, teaching, and community outreach with clearly defined goals – also for our region,” emphasized Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder, President of the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg at the senate meeting.

Close Ties Between the Universities of Bremen and Oldenburg

The two universities have been linked by their geographical proximity for many years. They have been working closely together in the areas of research, teaching, and outreach for a long time and share many values such as social responsibility and sustainability, based on their tradition as reform universities. In research, there is close cooperation in important future-oriented fields such as marine, polar, and climate research, computer science, health, and energy research.

Joint Avenues in the Excellence Competition

Bremen and Oldenburg would like to join forces in the competition for the title of University of Excellence: If the requirements are met, the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg and the University of Bremen intend to apply as a consortium.
The requirements are met if the alliance has at least three Clusters of Excellence. The Universities of Bremen and Oldenburg have a total of four cluster applications that are currently under review: “The Ocean Floor” (University of Bremen and Oldenburg) and “The Martian Mindset” (University of Bremen), as well as “Hearing4all” (University of Oldenburg), and “NaviSense” (University of Oldenburg). The decision on whether the applications are successful will be made in May 2025.

“We are optimistic that the two universities will be successful with their Cluster of Excellence applications. But regardless of this, we would also like to pool our expertise and potential more closely and work together even more intensively in future to tackle challenges together,” explains President Jutta Günther.

“I am convinced that it will truly pay off if our universities cooperate even more closely in the future. This applies not only to our Clusters of Excellence, but also to many other fields – from new research foci and infrastructures, to attracting bright minds and close cooperation partners, to new IT concepts for research and campus life,” emphasized President Bruder.

Cooperation in Outreach Activities: A Beacon in the Northwest

The cooperation between the two universities is also reflected in the area of business start-up support. The “Lighthouse Northwest” project was launched in the summer to link the two universities in Bremen and Lower Saxony. Under the leadership of the universities of Bremen and Oldenburg, nine regional universities have joined forces with strong support from the local business community. The goals are ambitious: Lighthouse Northwest will act as a start-up factory for the entire Bremen/Northwest Lower Saxony region, supporting start-ups in their foundation and growth phases. The factory is based on a broad alliance of excellent academics at universities and a high density of non-university research institutes that is unique in Germany, on agile and innovative start-up support, and on a traditionally cosmopolitan entrepreneurial community.