College for Social Sciences and Humanities

Research college promotes international networking in the humanities and social sciences

12/19/2025 -

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Several university representatives stand side by side celebrating the opening of the College for Social Sciences and Humanities. The rectors of the participating universities, a minister and members of the academic management team can be seen. — Celebrating the opening of the College for Social Sciences and Humanities: (from left) RUB Rector Prof. Martin Paul, Minister Ina Brandes, Director Prof. Julika Griem, UDE Rector Prof. Barbara Albert, Prof. Ute Schneider, Prof. Friedrich Balke and Prof. Maximiliane Wilkesmann from the Scientific Board, and TU Rector Prof. Manfred Bayer.

In the presence of Minister Ina Brandes, the University Alliance Ruhr celebrated the successful establishment of the College for Social Sciences and Humanities in Essen on 1 December 2025. The joint research college of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University brings together outstanding top-level research in a broad spectrum of the humanities and social sciences and networks it with excellent researchers worldwide. Around 100 guests from Germany and abroad accepted the invitation to the opening ceremony in Essen's Lindenallee.

Director Prof. Julika Griem explains the special profile: "The College for Social Sciences and Humanities brings together research professorships and junior research groups with renowned top international academics as fellows. This structure, which is unique in Germany, makes it possible to develop innovative interdisciplinary research topics and form networks." Since its establishment in 2021 as part of the Research Alliance Ruhr, the College for Social Sciences and Humanities has been able to fill the majority of its professorships with outstanding humanities scholars and social scientists. The College has already brought 36 renowned researchers from all over the world to the Ruhr region for six months through its fellowship program. Tandem projects with members of the UA Ruhr often result in long-term research collaborations.

At the opening ceremony on 1 December 2025, the College's professors provided insights into the fields of research. assistant professors Elena Beregow, Florian Fastenrath and Matthias Kranke, for example, are investigating in three research groups how we culturally deal with (increasing) sweating in times of climate change, whether sustainability can be managed globally and how politics addresses social inequality.

You can find more information on the launch of the college on the TU Dortmund University website and on the website of the College for Social Sciences and Humanities.

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