Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has been successful with two approved proposals in the final of the Clusters of Excellence funding line that is part of the Excellence Strategy competition of the Federation and the States. Based on the review by international commissions, the international committee of experts appointed by the Joint Science Conference (Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz, GWK) and the federal and state ministers responsible for science and research have selected the Clusters on Battery Research and 3D Designer Materials for funding. The funding to be granted in the two central fields of science will provide space for cutting-edge research on the highest international level. The Clusters selected will be funded with up to EUR 70 million for seven years. This decision also leaves KIT with good chances to remain University of Excellence.
Today, the Excellence Commission announced its decision in the final of the competition of best research ideas. "We are more than happy that the Cluster proposals we submitted have convinced the jury," says Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, President of KIT. "This is an acknowledgment of the excellent work of our researchers and our partners. It also reflects the trust placed in our research on the international level. Selection of our proposals is both a mandate and obligation for us to live up to this trust in future."
Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President Research of KIT, emphasizes the opportunities for research resulting from the Commission's decision. "I cordially congratulate all researchers involved in the two Clusters. Funding will enable them to pursue innovative research approaches in these important fields and to look for answers to the pressing questions of our time. This will open up huge opportunities. I very much thank our partner universities in Heidelberg, Ulm, and Gießen. Today's success also is a recognition of our excellent collaboration. After this confirmation of our international competitiveness, we at KIT will now participate in this year's evaluation organized by the German Science and Humanities Council in the Universities of Excellence funding line. Our goal is to remain a University of Excellence in Germany."
The Excellence Commission consists of internationally renowned scientists and the federal and state ministers responsible for science and research. KIT submitted proposals together with the universities of Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Gießen, and Ulm in various constellations.
POLiS: Pioneering Solutions for Electrochemical Energy Storage
Within the "Post Lithium Storage" (POLiS) Cluster of Excellence, researchers are studying pioneering solutions for electrochemical energy storage. "Funding of our POLiS Cluster for another seven years rewards our work and it motivates us to tackle the next tasks in battery research," say Professor Birgit Esser from Ulm Universität, Professor Helmut Ehrenberg from KIT, and Professor Jürgen Janek from University Gießen. They are responsible for the project, their common objective being the development of lithium-free batteries that are safe, highly efficient, and sustainable. POLiS II will focus on the development of full cells and interactions of the cell's battery components. "Our approach is unique: We want to track the ion on its way through the battery cell," the Cluster's spokesperson Birgit Esser says.
Researchers attach very high importance to sustainability. Viable solutions should make sense both economically and ecologically. They consider electrochemical energy storage a key technology that will decisively contribute to the success of the energy transition. "Renewal of the Cluster of Excellence will sustainably influence the international battery landscape," Esser, Ehrenberg, and Janek are convinced.
Applicant universities are Ulm University, KIT, and Justus Liebig University Gießen that has joined the consortium as a new applicant. Other cooperation partners are the Centre of Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB).
3DMM2O: Technologies for 3D Printing of Molecular Structures
3D Matter Made to Order (3DMM2O), KIT's Cluster in cooperation with Heidelberg University, also convinced the Commission. 3D printing technology makes it possible to turn digital blueprints into reality. With this kind of shaping, material is locally added instead of being removed. Scalable 3D printing using a wide range of inorganic, organic, biobased, and hybrid materials has developed into a powerful tool for the life and engineering sciences.
Researchers from both universities consider the positive voting an affirmation of their strategic collaboration. "The interdisciplinary research program of our Cluster builds on the complementary strengths of KIT and Heidelberg University. It benefits from the dedicated infrastructures of the two institutions and particularly prioritizes systematic support for early-career researchers," underline Professor Dr. Martin Wegener (Karlsruhe) and Professor Dr. Christine Selhuber-Unkel (Heidelberg), who form the team of spokespersons.
The Cluster 3DMM2O run by KIT and Heidelberg University is taking these 3D printing technologies from the macroscale towards the molecular scale and has pioneered multi-photon laser printing. In the second funding period, 3DMM2O researchers will use holographic printing and work towards the "one-shot" formation of organoids from living cells and achieving unprecedented large print rates for organic structures. Furthermore, they plan to create a new platform for testing disease models using printed biohybrid microsystems, to directly or indirectly print three-dimensional inorganic architectures, and to realize optical switches which promise energy savings for Internet communications.
Excellence Strategy of the Federation and the States
The aim of the Excellence Strategy competition is to strengthen Germany's position as an outstanding research hub in the long term and further improve its international competitiveness. The Clusters of Excellence funding line is designed to support project-based funding in internationally competitive fields of research at universities. It is one of the biggest research funding programs in Germany. The Universities of Excellence funding line serves to strengthen universities in the long term and further develop their leading international role in research. The decision as to which university will be granted the status "University of Excellence" will be made in 2026. Submission of proposals in this funding line requires approval of two Clusters of Excellence at least.
As of 2026, annual funds in the total amount of EUR 687 million will be available in the Excellence Strategy competition.
Caption: KIT Succeeds with its Proposals on Battery Research and 3D Designer Materials. LTR: Professor Thomas Hirth, Vice President Transfer and International Affairs; Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President Research; Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, KIT President; Professor Alexander Wanner, Vice President Higher Education and Academic Affairs; Professor Kora Kristof, Vice President Digitalization and Sustainability; Dr. Stefan Schwartze, Vice President Operations. (Photo: Laila Tkotz)
Weitere Informationen:
www.wissenschaftsrat.de/exzellenzstrategie
Being "The Research University in the Helmholtz Association", KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
