Funding Secured for Two Excellence Clusters at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
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Thuringia's CDU and SPD factions in the state parliament have welcomed the decision by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to fund two excellence projects at the Friedrich-Schiller-University (FSU) Jena with millions of euros.
Lennart Geibert, spokesman for science and universities for the CDU fraction, expressed his delight, stating that the funding not only confirms the university's excellent status, but also enhances its significance and attractiveness to young scholars dedicated to research and innovation.
The SPD fraction also sees new opportunities for Thuringia as a science location, with the now-approved excellence clusters highlighting the potential within the region, both in research laboratories and social debates. The goal, according to SPD chairman Lutz Liebscher, is to develop this strength sustainably, with potential benefits extending beyond science into areas such as education and social cohesion.
The DFG, based in Bonn, announced on Thursday the selection decision for the funding of 70 outstanding scientific consortia, or 'excellence clusters', nationwide. The FSU Jena will receive an average of 9.8 million euros per year for the next seven years for its running excellence cluster "Balance of the Microverse", which focuses on the interaction of microorganisms. The university will also receive an average of 6.8 million euros annually for the excellence cluster "Imaginamics", which investigates the emergence of social ideas.
While the Left fraction considers the federal and state government's excellence funding an unsustainable financing model for the higher education landscape, the benefits and opportunities presented by the funding of these two excellence clusters can positively impact Thuringia's standing as a science location. These benefits include enhanced research capabilities, interdisciplinary collaboration, economic growth, talent attraction and retention, and networking and partnership opportunities. The outcome also offers potential for innovation, entrepreneurship, policy influence, and diversification of research focus.
- The excellence cluster "Imaginamics" at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, which investigates the emergence of social ideas, could be a valuable addition to vocational training programs in education-and-self-development, fostering innovation and creative thinking.
- The funding of the excellence clusters at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, particularly "Balance of the Microverse," which focuses on microorganisms, could open up opportunities for collaborative research in science, driving advancements in health-and-wellness by studying the role of microorganisms in various aspects of life.
- The success of the excellence clusters at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, such as "Imaginamics," could serve as a model for policy makers in politics, inspiring the development of community policies that support and encourage vocational training, research, and innovation in Thuringia and beyond, contributing to the region's economic growth and social cohesion.
