Lack of Excellence-Research Initiative by MV Faces Criticism - "MV's exceptional research project under scrutiny - facing criticism"
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Misses Out on Excellence Strategy Funding, Sparking Criticism
Science Minister Bettina Martin of the SPD has faced criticism over Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's failure to secure funding from the Excellence Strategy, a joint initiative by federal and state governments. The state, known for its strong research areas in marine science and biomedicine, has not received any additional funding for excellence clusters for the next seven years.
Out of the 109 universities in Germany, 43 were selected for substantial additional funding for their excellence clusters. In the Excellence Strategy, projects from 13 federal states have recently been selected for extra funding, with an annual budget of 539 million euros starting from 2026.
To increase their chances of winning the title "Excellence University" in a future funding competition, universities must be involved in at least two clusters or form a consortium with at least three clusters. This competition is linked to 10 to 15 million euros per year.
The AfD faction cautions that Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is at risk of being left behind due to the state's lack of connection to million-dollar research funding. They believe this missing support could hinder the state's innovative power, scientific excellence, and regional development. The CDU, on the other hand, calls for a clearer focus and targeted funding of outstanding research consortia.
The state government is urged to work together with universities and research institutions to develop practical funding concepts. The opposition politician emphasizes the importance of securing a cluster from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the next round of the Excellence Strategy. This is not just about a title; it's about the future of the state, innovation, jobs, and competitiveness, he explains.
To improve its chances in the next round of the Excellence Strategy, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can focus on building strong research consortia, focusing on high-impact, interdisciplinary research topics, leveraging regional strengths in renewable energy and green technologies, increasing international and regional cooperation, securing institutional commitment, and learning from successful clusters.
The Excellence Strategy aims to improve the international reputation and image of German universities. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's strategic actions based on these trends and successful examples from other regions can help it secure funding in the next round.
Schwerin, CDU, AfD, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bettina Martin, SPD, Germany.
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with its strong research areas in marine science and biomedicine, missed out on substantial additional funding for excellence clusters due to its exclusion from the Excellence Strategy.
- The lack of funding for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern from the Excellence Strategy, a joint research and development initiative, could hinder the state's innovative power and scientific excellence, as well as impact its regional development.
- To address this issue, the state government is urged to work together with universities and research institutions to develop practical funding concepts, with a focus on securing a cluster from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the next round of the Excellence Strategy.
- In the future, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can improve its chances in the Excellence Strategy by focusing on building strong research consortia, leveraging regional strengths in renewable energy and green technologies, increasing international and regional cooperation, and securing institutional commitment, among other strategies.
