Excellence confirmed by international panel: Dresden University of Technology defends its title of University of Excellence

TUD has succeeded in retaining its status as a University of Excellence in the most demanding competition the German academic landscape has to offer. The German Science and Humanities Council and the German Research Foundation came to this decision on March 11, 2026 on the basis of a report by international experts. Boasting five Clusters of Excellence, three of which are operating under the sole responsibility of TUD and two in consortia with a partner university, as well as a conscientious overall strategy, TUD continues to be one of the top German research universities and at the same time is the only University of Excellence in the eastern German states excluding Berlin.

As announced by the German Science and Humanities Council (WR) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) at a press conference on March 11, 2026, TUD Dresden University of Technology will continue to receive funding as a University of Excellence as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments. This makes our university one of the top ten in Germany based on institutional performance, research strength, strategic development and vision for the future, receiving an outstanding rating by international experts – an impressive confirmation of its leading position in the German and international science landscape. The new, seven-year funding phase will begin on January 1, 2027.

“The Collaborative University” as a success factor

A special feature of TUD is its trust-based cooperation at many levels, which is geared towards clear development goals. TUD operates in a unique scientific ecosystem. This includes fruitful, international transCampus partnerships in England and India, as well as locally and regionally in the DRESDEN-concept (DDc) research alliance with all major non-university research institutions, but also Silicon Saxony, the largest semiconductor industry cluster in Europe and the biotech network Biosaxony.