University of Cologne

Founded in 1388, the University of Cologne is one of the oldest and largest German universities. Our heritage goes hand in hand with a thoroughly modern outlook and a compelling and ambitious agenda in higher education. Our greatest resource is an exceptionally broad subject base and our excellent and talented people. The University of Cologne is one of the leading German research universities with an increasing international outreach. 

The University of Cologne’s core mission is to create, preserve and disseminate knowledge, to provide high-quality education and training for students and young academics and to encourage and support top-level research with the specific aim of addressing changing societal challenges.

The University of Cologne is set on a large urban campus in the heart of the lively and thriving city of Cologne. Cologne is one of the oldest and largest cities in Germany and the surrounding Rhineland is one of Europe’s most developed economic regions. Open, friendly and with an international outlook, Cologne is a great place to live, work and study. 

Teaching:

The University of Cologne is organized into six faculties: i) Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, ii) Faculty of Law, iii) Faculty of Medicine, iv) Faculty of Arts and Humanities, v) Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and vi) Faculty of Human Sciences. The University of Cologne currently offers around 100 quality-assured degree programs, with a total of over 300 subject and teaching combinations to choose from including various bi-national study programs. The cross-faculty research and teaching centers ensure the high reputation of Cologne’s graduates for both research and the wider market

Studying at the University of Cologne is free of tuition fees. Instead, students pay a social contribution fee of approximately 300 euros per semester, which includes a Germany-wide public transport ticket allowing free use of local and regional public transport throughout Germany. Furthermore, it entitles them for student discounts at various cultural and public institutions and places.

Research:

Among many internationally renowned research units, the University of Cologne hosts several large, internationally competitive research areas, including five Clusters of Excellence funded within the German Excellence Strategy: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy, Plant Sciences – SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs (CEPLAS), Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q), and DYNAVERSE: Our Dynamic Universe. The University of Cologne closely cooperates with Cologne University Hospital as well as numerous research institutions of the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz Association in the Cologne metropolitan area. Knowledge transfer and support for start-ups is particularly important to the university.

Some highlights:

• Outstanding research structures in the fields of health, ageing and life sciences, led by the Cluster of Excellence CECAD – Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases, a world-leading research center exploring the molecular basis of ageing and age-related diseases, complemented by the Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics and Social Sciences of Health (ceres), which provides highly interdisciplinary perspectives on health-related challenges.
• Excellence in economics, public policy and societal transformation, exemplified by the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy, addressing key societal challenges such as inequality, regulation, sustainability and evidence-based policymaking.
• Leading research in sustainability and future food systems through the Cluster of Excellence CEPLAS – SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs, focusing on plant resilience, biodiversity and sustainable responses to global environmental change.
• Cutting-edge research in quantum science and fundamental physics, driven by ML4Q – Matter and Light for Quantum Computing and the Cluster of Excellence DYNAVERSE: Our Dynamic Universe, advancing research in quantum technologies, astrophysics and cosmology.
• A strong ecosystem for education, international cooperation and knowledge transfer, including the Centre for Teacher Education (ZfL), the Global South Studies Center (GSSC), the European University of Well-Being (EUniWell), and Gateway, supporting innovation and start-ups in close interaction with regional and international partners.

International outlook:

The international network of the University of Cologne is well-established, and unifies 18 Strategic Research Partnerships, roughly 100 university-wide-level partners and about 500 faculty-level partnerships on all continents. The University of Cologne maintains liaison offices in China, India and North America and is a member of the prestigious European COIMBRA Group.