Many ideas and initiatives remain
Dear university members,
dear colleagues,
the German Research Foundation announced which clusters of excellence will receive funding starting in 2026. Unfortunately, the SmartProSys application from our university was not among them.
The University of Halle was delighted to receive approval for a cluster, and I have already personally congratulated Rector Becker on her university's great success. Saxony-Anhalt's appearance on the map of excellence is undoubtedly an important step for the state as a center of science. This was also emphasized yesterday by Science Minister Willingmann in his video message.
Nevertheless, the disappointment at the OVGU is great – and that is understandable. An enormous amount of work, time, and conviction went into the application over many months. The positive preliminary assessment and success in the first round had fueled realistic hopes. This makes the rejection all the more difficult to accept.
On behalf of the entire Otto von Guericke University, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the SmartProSys team – especially the spokespersons Prof. Kai Sundmacher, Prof. Ellen Matthies, and Prof. Achim Kienle. My thanks also go to everyone who contributed to the steering committee, as PIs, or in any other capacity. The commitment, perseverance, and enthusiasm you have brought to the project deserve high recognition.
Even though the application was not approved, we are not talking about failure. Many ideas and initiatives remain. They form a strong foundation for attracting young talent, expanding collaborations, and providing impetus for the further development of our university.
It is still too early for a detailed analysis. We will carefully evaluate the DFG's feedback. After that, we will need to incorporate the approaches that have emerged into our strategic university development planning.
I am convinced that Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg will emerge stronger from this challenging process.
With warm regards
Jens Strackeljan
Rector