Impressions

Scholars and scientists from the three major universities in Berlin and Charité already collaborate very successfully in many projects. In this section we present some of the projects and portray individual researchers.

Exploring Cohesion

With its first call as part of the “Grand Challenge Initiative” on the topic of “Social Cohesion,” the Berlin University Alliance is promoting networking among researchers on this topic

Democracy – an Outdated Model?

Tanja Börzel and Michael Zürn, spokespersons for the SCRIPTS Cluster of Excellence on the liberal promise, problems of a globalized world, and the rise of populist movements

Party of Four

At the Urania, the Berlin University Alliance celebrated its success in the German government’s Excellence Strategy competition

“We are very proud!”

Berlin University Alliance Wins Prestigious German “Excellence” Status – An Interview with the Alliance’s Spokesperson, Professor Günter M. Ziegler

“We need academic freedom to find answers to the great challenges of the future.”

In an interview Berlin’s Governing Mayor and Senator for Higher Education and Reserch, Michael Müller, talks about the potential benefits of a strong alliance among Berlin’s universities

Entangled Literary Histories

Across time, space, and different media – how literature becomes global

“We want to show what Berlin can do when it comes to teaching in higher education”

The Berlin University Alliance and Berlin Center for Higher Education are hosting the German Association for Educational and Academic Staff Development in Higher Education annual conference in March 2020. Lecture/workshop proposals due September 15.

“Setting up your own company means tackling new problems every day.”

The three major Berlin universities and Charité have been awarding “Berliner Startup Stipendium” grants together since 2016. The results speak for themselves.

A Magnet for Junior Researchers Worldwide

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship of the European Union enables junior researchers to spend up to two years doing research in Europe. In this respect, Berlin is proving to be particularly attractive.

Mathematics and More

The MATH+ Cluster of Excellence of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Technische Universität Berlin has been established

When Function Follows Form

Myfanwy Evans investigates the geometry of materials down to the nanoscale.

An Academic Bridge between Berlin and Oxford

Alastair Buchan, a member of the Oversight Committee of the Oxford-Berlin partnership, commented on the promising partnership.

Searching for Matchmakers

UniSysCat investigates complex catalytic systems for the green chemistry of the future.

Bringing Research to the Blogosphere

Discussing lines of argument, presenting ideas, or preparing and following up on events – blogs provide new communication opportunities for researchers. Three examples from Berlin

“From Nature to the Robot and Back”

Three researchers from the Science of Intelligence cluster discuss different definitions and the effects of using AI.

Collecting Clues Together

Students at Berlin universities can learn about provenance research. A new flyer presents the entire range of courses available.

“No Organ Is as Complex”

Neuroscientist Professor Dietmar Schmitz wants to better understand the brain in order to decipher disease mechanisms and develop therapies. This is only possible through interdisciplinary cooperation.

The Minister Learns to Solder

German Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek paid a visit to the dEIn learning laboratory at Technische Universität Berlin. It belongs to GenaU, a network of 16 learning labs in Berlin.

How Does Gender Affect the Aging Process?

Scientists at Charité and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin are researching the effect that biological and sociocultural aspects of gender might have on illnesses in older people.

Listening to the Past

An academic podcast tells the “The Story of Objects”

Pre-Research Forum “New Health”

Ethics, digitalization, health – in a new event format Berlin researchers discuss issues with experts from various areas of society.

Expand Your Notion of “We”

Collaboration between the Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies and the University of Oxford is enabling a sustainable, international research network.

iKNOW – What to do if your risk for breast cancer is high?

A research team at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Technische Universität Berlin is developing an online consultation tool for women diagnosed with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer following a genetic test.

Attacking One’s Own Brain

Neurologists at Charité Berlin and their colleagues in Oxford are investigating a new form of brain inflammation — autoimmune encephalitis.

“There Are Still Many Untold Stories.”

At the Selma Stern Center for Jewish Studies in Berlin-Brandenburg, scholars from five universities in Berlin and Brandenburg, a rabbinical college, and a research institute are conducting research.

Direct Link between Stimulus and Experience

Neuroscientists at Humboldt-Universität and computer scientists at Technische Universität are working together to develop a new theory of sensory perception.

Adopt a Polyhedron

Doctoral thesis of mathematician Anna Maria Hartkopf gives insights into world of polyhedra

Ancient Knowledge about Water – for Today and Tomorrow

Geographer and climate historian Jonas Berking of Freie Universität Berlin investigates water management in antiquity

From Field to Plate

FoodBerlin, the research network, is working on the nutrition systems of the future: how can people be fed in the future without harming health, animals, or the environment?

Cause for Celebration

Seven clusters for Berlin! The decision in the German Excellence Strategy was cause for celebration at the three major Berlin universities and Charité and demonstrates the high quality of research being done in Berlin in many disciplines.

Why Live Vaccines Are More Effective

A research team from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin has investigated the immune response to different vaccinations.

EEG as a Window into the Future

The TrueBrainConnect research project will start in early 2019. Using machine learning algorithms, computer scientist Stefan Haufe wants to analyze EEG data and contribute to doctors being able to detect brain disorders, such as dementia, sooner.

Open Access for Gender Studies

The globally unique GenderOpen online repository of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Technische Universität Berlin enables the results of gender research to be made freely accessible on the Internet.

Knowledge for Everyone

By making scholarly publications freely available online, the Open Access Bureau Berlin supports the three major universities in Berlin, Charité, and other academic institutions in the city state.

University in the City

The exhibition “Architekturen der Wissenschaft” shows how academic buildings have shaped Berlin’s cityscape.

Rhetoric Questions

An interdisciplinary team from Humboldt-Universität and Technische Universität is illustrating the challenges faced by speakers in ancient times – including at the Roman Forum.

The Simulated Human

On a new biotechnology and medical technology campus of Charité and Technische Universität Berlin, scientists from both institutions will be working on developing medical models based on the human body.

Satellite Data to Monitor Deforestation

With a project in the Amazon region, geographers from Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin are setting the course for using satellites to continuously observe the Earth.

Researching Islam around the World

The Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies has been educating doctoral students for ten years. The training also includes a focus on topical issues.

Using Research Expertise to Find Solutions to Everyday Problems

Applicants from Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin presented their founding projects to a jury of the Berlin Startup Scholarship.

“We want to make Berlin an even stronger center for research and learning.”

The heads of the three major Berlin universities and Charité spoke on rbb-Inforadio’s WissensWerte series on the opportunities of using national Excellence Competitions to support top-level research in Berlin.

More than Three Dimensions

In a new Collaborative Research Center at Technische Universität Berlin, researchers investigate changes of spatial concepts caused by digitization and globalization.

“Integration is More than a Language Course and a Job”

The importance of values and feelings in integration: sociologists from Freie Universität, physicians and psychologists from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and other cooperation partners are investigating immigration as an emotional process.

The University as a Safe Haven

The Global Congress of Scholars at Risk is being held at Freie Universität Berlin. All three major universities in Berlin are members of the international network which enables threatened scholars a new start in exile.

Learning from the Mealworm Beetle's Immune System

Reserachers from Freie Universität Berlin and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin are working on a device that will help predict the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

“A go-it-alone approach to research will no longer work to solve the problems of the 21st century.”

Three Berlin universities along with Charité want to work together in the Excellence Strategy: Opportunities and Challenges / An interview with the heads of the involved institutions.

Of the Economy’s Weal and Woe

Young economists and management scientists have a chance to shape debates in their field as part of a Berlin doctoral program.

A Hackathon to Determine the Transportation of the Future

At the Einstein Center Digital Future, students were invited by an automotive group to develop digital solutions on the theme of Urban Mobility.

Literature and Life

Literary scholar and Leibniz Prize winner Steffen Martus ponders the many connections between literature, academia, and society.

Super Glue – Copied from Mussels

Researchers at the UniCat Cluster of Excellence are developing an adhesive protein that binds things together, even in damp environments. It could be used in future to glue bones and wounds.