In his presentation, Prof. Dr. Günter M. Ziegler, spokesperson of Berlin University Alliance and president of Freie Universität Berlin, emphasized that since its founding in 2017, the Oxford Berlin Research Partnership has been a “flagship project” of cooperation in research between the United Kingdom and Germany. The Oxford Berlin Research Partnership brings together the University of Oxford and the four partners of Berlin University Alliance: Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. It is considered the largest university cooperation between the two countries.

Initiated in 2017 during a politically tense period, the partnership has since sent a strong signal of science’s responsibility for tackling challenges facing society as a whole. This dynamic is also reflected in the Kensington Treaty signed in 2024, which also strategically strengthens German-British cooperation in science and technology. The Oxford Berlin Research Partnership's mission statement, adopted in September, explicitly anchors similar goals: it commits the partner institutions to promoting interdisciplinary research that transcends borders and strengthens democratic resilience in times of geopolitical uncertainty. At the same time, it reaffirms its support for strong bilateral relations between Germany and the United Kingdom.

At the heart of these collaborations lies the aim of connecting people across disciplines, national borders, and career stages. This is achieved through joint workshops, mobility programs, networking events, and the annual symposium, which will be held again in Berlin in 2026. To date, around 1,300 researchers have been supported and approximately €17 million in third-party funding have been raised.

With a view to the 2026 symposium in Berlin and the implementation of the Kensington Treaty, the Oxford Berlin Research Partnership is ideally positioned to further expand its successful cooperation.

Contakt

• Suhana Reddy, Head of Communikation at Berlin University Alliance, E-Mail: suhana.reddy@berlin-university-alliance.de
• For more information go to Website of University of Oxford
• Read here more about the Berlin University Alliance in our new magazine beyond including a commentary by Irene Tracey

*Credits: Bundespräsident/Guido Bergmann