# Research Profile: Top-Level Research
**Source**: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/research-profile
**Parent**: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/ecrs/after-your-doctoral-studies
The University of Bonn has stood for top-level research for over 200 years. The founding professors already saw Bonn as a research university aimed at answering scientific, social and technological questions. Researchers, teachers and early-career researchers all benefit from this today, taking advantage of established German and global networks and strong scientific and social partnerships—with measurable effect.
© Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn
### Transdisciplinary Research
The six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs) at the University of Bonn create spaces for innovation in research and teaching.
[More about our TRAs](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas)1
Fakultätsschilder beim Absolventenfest
© Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn
### Seven Faculties
The University of Bonn has divided its teaching and research activities into seven faculties, which are themselves subdivided into institutes, departments and even clinics. The faculties constitute the heart and center of the University.
[Explore our Faculties](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university/organisation-and-institutions/faculties-research-centers-and-other-academic-units/faculties)2
© Volker Lannert/HCM
### Excellence in Research and Teaching
“We invest in people. We foster networks. We create impact.” We follow this strategy to create the ideal environment for creative scientific work by outstanding researchers that extends beyond our six Clusters of Excellence and to promote talented researchers at all career levels.
[Excellence Strategy](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/excellence-strategy)3
### The Best Minds
The outstanding research performed by our researchers is shown by the many awards that have been received.
[Excellent Researchers](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/awards-and-prizes)4
### Cooperative Research Culture
Innovative top-level research in many national and international partnerships and collaborative projects sets us apart.
[Collaborative Projects](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/collaborative-research-projects)5
### Diverse Appointments
The diversity of our externally funded professorships is a sign of our close cooperation with economy and society.
[Externally Funded Professorships](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/diverse-professorships/diverse-appointments)6
## What sets our research profile apart?
**01.**
### Excellence
The University of Bonn is one of eleven German [Universities of Excellence](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/excellence-strategy)3 and the only university with six [Clusters of Excellence](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/excellence-strategy/clusters-of-excellence)7. Recent decades have seen us produce more Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winners than any other German university.
**02.**
### Networked
Embedded in the UN city of Bonn and a region of cutting-edge research, the University of Bonn is one of the leading research-oriented universities in Germany.
**03.**
### Transdisciplinary
Our seven faculties cover a broad range of disciplines. This strong range of disciplines is supplemented by six cross-faculty, interdisciplinary [“Transdisciplinary Research Areas” (TRAs)](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas)1 that create areas for exploration and innovation to facilitate academic exchange.
**04.**
### Comprehensive Support
Our goal is to create the ideal conditions for internationally networked research to attract and develop the best researchers. Our [Argelander Program for Early-Career Researchers](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/ecrs/argelander-program-for-ecrs)8 offers comprehensive support to promote early independent research.
## Transdisciplinary Research Areas
Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs) focus our research on key scientific, technological and social issues of the future and create areas for exploration and innovation.
### Mathematics, Modelling and Simulation of Complex Systems
How do complex systems actually work? Interaction of mathematical modelling, classical observational methods, data simulation and creative spirit.
[TRA Modelling](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-1-modelling)9
### Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions
How do the building blocks of matter interact? How do complex structures emerge at the different length scales of nature? Find out more about our research.
[TRA Matter](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-matter)10
### Life and Health
Understanding the complexity of life - developing new strategies for health.\
Read more about TRA Life and Health.
[TRA Life and Health](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-3-life-and-health)11
### Individuals, Institutions and Societies
Complex relationships between the individual, institutions and societies – developing new views of micro- and macrophenomena.
[TRA Individuals & Societies](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-4-individuals)12
### Past Worlds and Modern Questions. Cultures Across Time and Space
We foster and network research on the preconditions and conditions of the emergence of modern societies as well as on negotiation processes of heritage.
[TRA Present Pasts](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-5)13
### Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Futures
The TRA Sustainable Futures researches institutional, science- and technology-based innovations in the field of sustainability.
[TRA Sustainable Futures](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-6-sustainable-futures)14
Latest Research and Teaching News
[© AdobeStock/RullyJ; AI-generated; This photo may only be used in conjunction with the press release.](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/new-focus-center-for-ai-start-ups-at-universities-in-north-rhine-westphalia "New Focus Center for AI Start-Ups at Universities in North Rhine-Westphalia")15
[New Focus Center for AI Start-Ups at Universities in North Rhine-Westphalia](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/new-focus-center-for-ai-start-ups-at-universities-in-north-rhine-westphalia)15
TU Dortmund University and the University of Bonn are forming the AI Center for Entrepreneurship NRW (AICE.NRW). The new center will benefit universities throughout North Rhine-Westphalia, providing targeted, needs-based support for start-ups with business models around artificial intelligence (AI). Launched in January 2026, AICE.NRW has been granted 1.5 million euro for a three-year term by the state of NRW and the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Start-up Fokuszentren.NRW program.
Mar 23, 2026
15
[© Photo: Peter Badge/Typos1](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/050-2026 "Gerd Faltings to Receive the 2026 Abel Prize")16
[Gerd Faltings to Receive the 2026 Abel Prize](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/050-2026)16
For the first time ever, the Abel Prize has gone to a German—and this one is based at the University of Bonn! Mathematician Professor Gerd Faltings will receive the award in a ceremony in Oslo on May 26, 2026. The accolade has been presented every year since 2003 by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in the presence of the country’s king Harald V. Professor Faltings is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Bonn and a former director of the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics (MPIM) in the city.
Mar 19, 2026
16
[© Photo: Barbara Frommann/Uni Bonn](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/047-2026 "How to Spot Disinformation: Tips from a Cybersecurity Expert")17
[How to Spot Disinformation: Tips from a Cybersecurity Expert](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/047-2026)17
In late March, representatives of government and the business and scientific communities will meet on the University of Bonn’s Poppelsdorf Campus to discuss one of the most pressing issues of today’s digital age: the targeted dissemination of disinformation. The Bonn Dialogue on Cybersecurity will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm in Lecture Hall 1, Poppelsdorf Campus, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 5, 53115.
Mar 17, 2026
17
[© AdobeStock / KristinaBlokhin](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/048-2026 "What’s in a Name? — The Unknown Faces of History")18
[What’s in a Name? — The Unknown Faces of History](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/048-2026)18
Most people in history remain nameless, appearing in sources merely as numbers, traits or anonymous figures. A new research project launched by the Cluster of Excellence Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) and the Department of History (IGW) at the University of Bonn is looking into how these nameless individuals can be analyzed and rendered visible in historical records. It has been awarded €370,000 in funding from the Volkswagen Foundation.
Mar 17, 2026
18
[© COLORBOX.DE](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/045-2026 "Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics")19
[Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/045-2026)19
Kitchen sponges are among the most frequently used household items – and may also represent a previously underestimated source of microplastics. Researchers led by the University of Bonn investigated how many plastic particles are released from sponges during dishwashing and their environmental impacts. The findings show that while measurable amounts of microplastics enter the environment each year, the largest share of environmental impact from manual dishwashing is caused by water consumption.
Mar 17, 2026
19
[© Photo: Barbara Frommann/University of Bonn](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/138-2025 "Researchers develop a ChatGPT for Portuguese")20
[Researchers develop a ChatGPT for Portuguese](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/138-2025)20
Large language models, such as ChatGPT, perform significantly less well in Portuguese than in English despite both languages being spoken worldwide. This gap has now been closed with "GigaVerbo". The team led by Dr. Nicholas Kluge Corrêa from the Center for Science and Thought at the University of Bonn is now presenting the project in the journal "Patterns". The researchers were among the first to utilize the new "Marvin" supercomputer at the University of Bonn. Nicholas Kluge Corrêa and his colleague Aniket Sen are both members of the Transdisciplinary Research Area "Sustainable Futures" at the University of Bonn.
Mar 06, 2026
20
[© Visual representation: Colourbox.de](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/037-2026 "University of Bonn to Receive Start-up Center.NRW for Life Sciences and AI")21
[University of Bonn to Receive Start-up Center.NRW for Life Sciences and AI](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/037-2026)21
The University of Bonn is expanding its start-up consulting services in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and the life sciences. With the new “U-Bo-LIFE-AI” Start-up Center.NRW, it will be enhancing entrepreneurial expertise and access to networks of investors and established companies in a systematic way. The University will be receiving roughly €1 million over the next three years from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and NRW’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy to set up “U-Bo-LIFE-AI” and develop it further.
Mar 04, 2026
21
[© Image: Gregor Hübl / University of Bonn](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/035-2026 "How realistic does a supermarket need to be?")22
[How realistic does a supermarket need to be?](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/035-2026)22
Researchers at the University of Bonn have conducted a review study to examine the methods used to research consumer behaviour in supermarkets.
Mar 03, 2026
22
## We think without borders
With our magazine, we give you an insight into the research and teaching being done at our University. We focus on our transdisciplinary research and the work that we are undertaking in our six Clusters of Excellence. By virtue of their reputation and sheer number, they are without parallel in the entire German university sector.
Find out more about us in the reports on the University, on our research and on some of our favorite places in Bonn—an extremely likeable city that is home to numerous international organizations.
[Download (PDF)](https://www.uni-bonn.de/de/forschung-lehre/forschung-und-lehre-medien/we-think-without-borders.pdf)23
© University of Bonn
23
## Contact
Research and Innovation Services
+49 228 / 73-60915\
[GZDez7@verwaltung.uni-bonn.de](mailto:GZDez7@verwaltung.uni-bonn.de)
The research division manages the entire research process - from initial information on funding, handling third-party funded projects and the exploitation of results.
## Also see
### Transdisciplinary Research Areas
The six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs) at the University of Bonn create spaces for innovation in research and teaching.
**[More on TRAs](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas)1**
### Clusters of Excellence
The University of Bonn has six Clusters of Excellence, more than any other university in Germany.
**[Our Clusters](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/excellence-strategy/clusters-of-excellence)7**
### NeurotechEU
NeurotechEU is an alliance that has set itself the mission of building an innovative, trans-European network of excellence for brain research and technologies.
**[Learn more](https://www.neurotecheu.uni-bonn.de/en)24**
## Links
1. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas
2. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university/organisation-and-institutions/faculties-research-centers-and-other-academic-units/faculties
3. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/excellence-strategy
4. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/awards-and-prizes
5. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/collaborative-research-projects
6. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/diverse-professorships/diverse-appointments
7. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/excellence-strategy/clusters-of-excellence
8. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/ecrs/argelander-program-for-ecrs
9. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-1-modelling
10. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-matter
11. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-3-life-and-health
12. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-4-individuals
13. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-5
14. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-6-sustainable-futures
15. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/new-focus-center-for-ai-start-ups-at-universities-in-north-rhine-westphalia
16. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/050-2026
17. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/047-2026
18. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/048-2026
19. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/045-2026
20. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/138-2025
21. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/037-2026
22. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/035-2026
23. https://www.uni-bonn.de/de/forschung-lehre/forschung-und-lehre-medien/we-think-without-borders.pdf
24. https://www.neurotecheu.uni-bonn.de/en