Rhine-Main Universities sign new cooperation agreement

At the meeting of the RMU Assembly on 28 August 2025, the three presidents of the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) Prof. Dr. Tanja Brühl (Technical University of Darmstadt), Prof. Dr. Georg Krausch (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) and Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff (Goethe University Frankfurt) signed a revised and more extensive framework cooperation agreement. The agreement reflects the alliance's successes and forms an enhanced basis for an even closer and more intensive collaboration between its partners in the future, for example with regard to the proposal for funding as a consortium of excellence.

Since 2015, the three universities have formed the strategic alliance of the Rhine-Main Universities. To mark the 10th anniversary of the alliance, the new cooperation agreements establishes new framework conditions for even more dynamic cooperation in all areas, from research and research infrastructure to study, teaching and administration to knowledge exchange with society. Streamlined governance structures enable efficient collaboration and fast decision-making processes.

With the cooperation agreement, the three universities now continue what has led to their joint successes and innovative ideas over the last ten years, such as:

• increasing the universities' attractiveness as an employer through intensive cooperation of administrative staff, through making internal trainings available staff at the other universities and establishing a joint culture, e.g. through the RMU Weeks of Equal Opportunities
• strengthening the independent development of researchers in the early stages of their career (ECRs) through mutually open funding formats, joint structures for guidance and support and RMU-wide events such as the RMU Postdoc Career Weeks
• continuously expanding joint research and increasing the acquisition of external funding for joint research
• creating new opportunities in research and teaching through targeted pooling of expertise
• opening up new opportunities for students by setting up the RMU Study Program, developing ten joint degree programs and tailored advice through formats such as the RMU Scholarship Fair
• Joint partnership of the three universities in the startup ecosystem Futury - The Future Factory

In addition to the alliance's commitment to further expand their complementary excellence in research, teaching and cooperation with society, the new cooperation agreement also sets out and establishes the organizational and structural foundations developed by the partners which commit themselves, within the RMU, to a straightforward governance and to avoid bureaucracy. They will also continue to strengthen ECRs and staff by integrating them into the governance and the boards. This serves to define the tasks and forms of the structures, such as:

• the RMU Board of Directors as the executive committee, consisting of the elected members of the three universities' executive boards,
• the RMU Assembly as an internal advisory body, consisting of members of all status groups at the three universities,
• and the International Advisory Board as an external advisory body, consisting of representatives with international expertise in the research system and/or in research management

Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, President of Goethe University Frankfurt and current RMU spokesperson, states: "The cooperation agreement expands and firmly establishes what we made official in 2015, but already practiced before for decades: an alliance of strong, equal partners in a globally visible and internationally attractive region of science. It is a reflection of the successes we achieved so far and a clear signpost for our future projects."

Prof.'in Dr. Tanja Brühl, Präsidentin der TU Darmstadt, emphasizes: "With the revised cooperation agreement, we consolidate our collaboration as a strong alliance. The governance is "typically RMU": We integrate complementary expertise to profit from the great variety of ideas within our alliance and of our partners and to actively make good decisions. Acting jointly, we will, as partners, continue to successfully reach or goals and find answers to today's questions and tomorrow's challenges."

Prof. Dr. Georg Krausch, President of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, adds: "As the alliance of the Rhine-Main Universities, we will submit a joint proposal as a University Consortium of Excellence in the Universities of Excellence funding line. With the cooperation agreement, we are sending a clear signal for the close and coordinated cooperation between the three universities as a driving force for scientific excellence across all university performance dimensions."