Strategic Development
of Potential

what we promote

The funding program is designed to sharpen the strategic profile of universities in Lower Saxony. Within the overall concept of creating a cohesive and more competitive science system in Lower Saxony, these institutions are to be given the means to develop their locations according to their specific strengths and potential. The funding program aims at providing a sustainable impetus to science in the German state of Lower Saxony and strengthening its domestic and international competitiveness.

With this funding program, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation are offering universities in Lower Saxony the opportunity to further sharpen and implement strategic development goals in a series of competitive calls. Focusing on achievement potential, they should strategically develop their locations with a view to contributing towards a coherent science system in Lower Saxony – embedded in cooperation agreements with German as well as international partners. In doing so, existing deficits can be addressed, new and innovative subject areas can be developed, and existing potential can be strengthened so that the respective universities become more competitive in their profiles and goals at both domestic and international levels. This is to be achieved by means of entering into cooperation agreements while maintaining a clear division of labor with other universities and research institutions.

Overall, the funding program is intended to trigger a sustainable impetus to science in Lower Saxony, with the help of which the potential of Lower Saxony's universities will be further developed and at the same time the performance of the regional science system will be significantly increased – also in respect of raising the chances of success in competitive domestic and international funding calls.