German U15 Russell GroupGerman-British Research Exchange in Hamburg

11 September 2023, by Newsroom editorial office

Photo: UHH/Röttger

Participants of the German U15 and Russell Group in front of the Main Building

Photo: UHH/Röttger

Prof. Dr. Hauke Hekeeren greets colleagues from Germany’s and Great Britain’s major research-oriented universities.

Photo: UHH/Röttger

Prof. Dr. Erika Garutti gives a talk on, among other things, working in the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe.

On 11 and 12 September 2023, representatives of the largest German and British research universities congregated in Hamburg. They visited the hosting Universität Hamburg together and celebrated Great Britain’s association with the Horizon Europe research program.

Britain’s departure from the European Union in 2020 significantly complicated scientific cooperation. It was thus especially important to the German U15—an association of 15 major research-oriented universities in Germany—and the Russell Group, the British counterpart with 24 universities, to cooperate within the scope of Horizon Europe. Great Britain’s full association to the largest framework program for research and innovation in the EU was announced at the beginning of September.

“The association gives rise to completely new cooperation possibilities,” said Dr. Jan Wöpking, managing director of the German U15 before the two organizations met to probe new paths for cooperation as “quickly and best” as possible.

Universität Hamburg hosts

For 2 days, members of the German U15 and the Russell Group met near the Von-Melle-Park Campus and got to know Universität Hamburg, including on tours through the University Museum and around campus. The groups were greeted by Universität Hamburg’s president, Prof. Dr. Hauke Hekeeren, and Prof. Dr. Erika Garutti from the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe. Hamburg’s science senator Katharina Fegebank also attended as a guest.

Discussions focused on, among other things, the effects of geopolitical developments on international scientific cooperation; current changes in research evaluations; and research funding in times of tight budgets. The future of exchange between the groups was also discussed. A concluding statement documented meeting results.

There has been exchange between these groups of research-oriented universities for years. Mutual delegations between the countries and other cooperation formats have led to the development and intensification of many individual research cooperation projects as well as partnerships between universities. The meeting this year was part of the Hamburg Forum for Global Science and Policy and was co-funded by the University using resources from the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments.