© Leona Hofmann / Universität Bremen
How the Northwest Alliance Strengthens Research and the Region
The University of Bremen and the University of Oldenburg are combining efforts and applied together in the final round of the Excellence Strategy
In 2025, the University of Bremen and the University of Oldenburg strengthened their long-standing partnership by establishing the Northwest Alliance. This alliance builds on complementary strengths and shared experiences of reform, paving the way for excellence in social responsibility.
The Bremer Uni Zeitung wrote in 1991 that the “years of intellectual famine” had come to an end. Twenty years after the University of Bremen was founded in 1971, the first university bookstore opened on campus. It was a branch of the University of Oldenburg’s Ossietzky bookstore, another young reform university that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023.
To this day, the universities complement each other. Since the first declaration of academic cooperation in 1990, the two universities have worked together, sometimes more intensely than others, in research, teaching, and administration. They share in each other’s triumphs and setbacks. The two universities are strengthening their partnership in this learning community with the Northwest Alliance.
The Northwest Alliance was founded in January 2025 by the administrations of the universities in Bremen and Oldenburg, in the presence of the respective scientific ministries. Its core objective is to establish a collaborative hub for research and knowledge transfer in northwestern Germany. By working together, both universities aim to showcase their strengths in research, teaching, and knowledge transfer on a national and international scale.
During a time of great social upheaval, uncertainty, and growing distrust in science, the universities are embracing new opportunities for collaboration and innovation, engaging with society, business, culture, public administration, and civil society. This is not a contradiction to excellence, but rather, becomes a key component of it, and both universities are well-equipped to achieve this thanks to their founding principles. By working together, each university is stronger than they would be alone and can contribute to addressing the skepticism toward science.
580 Professors, 6,400 Employees, 2,700 Doctoral Researchers, 34,000 Students
With around 580 professorships, 6,400 employees, 2,700 doctoral researchers, and 34,000 students, the alliance forms a vibrant scientific ecosystem in northwestern Germany. The Northwest Alliance is strengthened by its partnerships with important non-university research institutions in the region, including the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Delmenhorst.
A central project of the collaboration is the joint proposal within the framework of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments, entitled “Northwest Alliance: Connecting for Tomorrow.” The goal is to be designated a University Excellence Consortium and receive additional funding starting in 2027.
The Northwest Alliance also has international connections. The University of Groningen in the Netherlands is a valued partner, and cross-border collaboration is poised to expand.
For students and employees, the Northwest Alliance means more joint research projects, greater national visibility, and new opportunities for teaching, exchange, and knowledge transfer. The alliance is a long-term investment in the academic landscape of northwestern Germany, benefiting both the University of Bremen and the University of Oldenburg.