Networks and representations

University level networks

RUB operates in global networks. Research, study and teaching, promotion of young researchers, transfer, social commitment and professional exchange do not stop at our national borders, but are oriented towards international best practice. Cooperation in alliances at university level serves the further internationalisation of all areas of the university in many ways.

UNIC

The most important new strategic networking activity is The European University of Post-Industrial Cities (UNIC), founded in 2020 with seven other European universities, through which they position themselves jointly in teaching and research for the management of structural and social change. In UNIC, RUB is particularly responsible for the area of redesigning inter-university mobility.

In the UNIC Mobility Hub you will find all of the information regarding UNIC's mobility offers.

Visit the UNIC Mobility Hub

Worldwide Universities Network

Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is an exclusive university network that brings together 24 leading comprehensive research universities in a collaborative partnership to advance research and education on major global challenges. Capitalizing on the geographical and cultural diversity of members across six continents, WUN enriches their shared experience, and brings together distinctive constellations of talents to address problems of real significance. RUB joined WUN in 2022 as the first and only member university in Germany.

Utrecht Network

For more than 30 years, RUB has been a member of the Utrecht Network, in which 31 major European universities from 26 countries cooperate at central and decentralised levels on issues of internationalisation. The main activities of the Utrecht Network are mobility programmes for different target groups, various internationalisation projects as well as exchange and networking activities.

The Utrecht Network cooperates - especially in the area of student mobility - with two non-European networks, Mid-America Universities International (MAUI) in the USA and the Australian-European Network (AEN). Every year, RUB students get the opportunity to apply for a tuition-free placement at one of the participating MAUI or AEN partner universities. The International Office acts as the central coordinating office for both exchange programmes.

Scholars at Risk Network

As a member of the worldwide Scholars at Risk (SaR) Network, a founding member and (until 2018) as a member of the steering committee of the German section of the Scholars at Risk Network, RUB is committed to the implementation and promotion of fundamental conditions for free science, research and teaching as well as the support of endangered, displaced and refugee scientists worldwide within the framework of education and science diplomacy.

About the SAR Network

New University in Exile Consortium (NUIEC)

The New University in Exile Consortium (NUEC) is a global network that protects and supports scholars at risk around the world. Founded in response to rising threats to academic freedom, the NUIEC promotes academic solidarity with scholars who face political persecution, censorship, and violence in their home countries by offering them refuge and opportunities to continue their research, teaching, and scholarly work in exile. Support for at-risk researchers includes professional counselling services, scholarly exchange and networking opportunities (such as the annual Scholars' Conference), the possibility of co-led online courses as well as access to publications and online library resources. By fostering a vibrant global network of partner universities, the Consortium facilitates scholarly collaboration across borders and disciplines.

Campus in Campus Network

RUB has been a member of the international network Campus in Campus (CiC) since 2018. The network aims to promote cooperation in research, teaching and transfer between its members and is coordinated by the Japanese University of Tsukuba, a central partner of RUB. RUB is primarily involved in the following activities:

• "Course Jukebox" platform with detailed information on about 2,800 courses.
• Development of joint study programmes
• Networking in research to promote joint activities of scientists and scholars
• Promotion of global start-up ecosystem networks through exchanges between RUB's "WorldFactory" and, for example, the "Edge-Next" project at Tsukuba University.
• Participation in the annual Tsukuba Global Science Week (TGSW)

UA Ruhr Liaison Offices

RUB has been part of the UA Ruhr since 2007. Under the motto "better together", it offers its researchers, together with the TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen, a wide range of opportunities for cooperation and networking, while students benefit from the large number of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes with numerous specialisation options. The international cooperation of the UA Ruhr is promoted by the liaison offices for Northern America and Eastern Europe/Central Asia, which are closely linked to the International Offices of the individual UA Ruhr universities.

Ghana NRW University Alliance

The Ghana NRW University Alliance is a consortium of eight leading universities and universities of applied sciences from the federal German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Building on the long-standing partnership between Ghana and NRW, the alliance's mission is to foster academic exchange, research collaboration, and knowledge transfer across a wide range of disciplines between higher education institutions in Ghana and NRW.

By connecting students, researchers, and university staff from Ghana and NRW, the alliance aims at addressing global challenges through joint and mutually beneficial research projects, workshops, and educational programs. This way, the initiative strengthens ties between Ghana and NRW, promoting innovation, cultural understanding, and sustainable development through higher education and scientific cooperation.

The Ghana NRW University Alliance runs a liaison office in Accra, which serves as a central point of contact for researchers, staff, and students from both regions, providing support, coordination, and opportunities for collaboration.

German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH)

RUB is actively involved in four of the five German Houses of Science and Innovation (DWIH) worldwide - New York, Sao Paulo, Tokyo und Moscow. The DWIH serve as an information and communication platform for science and business from Germany and the respective host countries. They cooperate with a broad network of science organisations, universities, business development organisations, companies and start-ups.