Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin
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Cluster of Excellence

Clusters of excellence are large, interdisciplinary research alliances that work on innovative topics at the highest level. As part of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments, the Berlin universities have acquired five Clusters of Excellence in 2025.

Funding periods

The second funding period (2026-2032) comprises 70 clusters with an annual budget of 539 million euros. Five applications were approved in Berlin: MATH+, NeuroCure, ImmunoPreCept, Centre for Chiral Electronics, Contestations of the Liberal Script. The interdisciplinary research projects will be funded by the federal and state governments over a period of seven years from 2026.

In the first funding period, 57 Clusters of Excellence were funded with 385 million euros annually. Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin has acquired the following Clusters of Excellence: Matters of Activity (MoA), Science of Intelligence (SCIoI), MATH+, NeuroCure (funded since 2007). In addition, researchers at Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin are also involved in other Berlin Clusters of Excellence - Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS), Unifying Systems in Catalysis (UniSysCat) and Temporal Communities.

Humboldt-Universit?t as host university

Humboldt-Universit?t as co-applicant university

NeuroCure

Ein Mikroskop schwebt in der Luft vor der Ged?chtniskirche in Berlin
Photo: Berlin University Alliance

New therapies for neurological and psychiatric diseases

Funding period 2007-2025, re-approved 2026-2032

The NeuroCure cluster, which focuses on neurosciences, aims to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice. It researches diseases from all areas of life: from embryonic development to old age.

Humboldt-Universit?t as participating university

Constentation of the liberal scripts (SCRIPTS)

Ein Metallwürfel schwebt über den Checkpoint Charlie

Democracy under pressure

Funding period 2019-2025

In this Cluster of Excellence, researchers are investigating the impact of the attacks on the "liberal script", which is based on freedom, equality, justice and tolerance.

Unifying Systems in Catalysis (UniSysCat)

Ein überdimensional gro?es Enzym schwebt über dem Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin
Photo: Berlin University Alliance

Learning to understand and utilise catalysis networks

Funding period 2019-2025

Researchers from chemistry, biology and physics. They are researching complex catalytic reactions in order to develop sustainable and resource-saving syntheses and more efficient energy storage.

Cluster as spokesperson for the Berlin University Alliance

Eine Collage aus Artefakten und Zeugnissen aus diversen Zeiten und Kulturen inszeniert auf der Neuen Nationalgalerie.

Temporal Communities - Literature in a Global Perspective

Funding period 2019-2025: In this Cluster of Excellence, researchers take a new theoretical and methodological look at literature.

Contact us

Dr. Christoph Raiser

Head of Division - Research Advisor Foundations; DFG: Cluster of Excellence, Heisenberg-Programme
Tel.: +49 30 2093-12930
to profile page

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Research projects at the Humboldt-Universit?t

The excellence of our research is reflected in a large number of research projects. You can find an overview here.