New agreement will facilitate cooperation between the universities in Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Mainz

Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate are strengthening the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU): The two federal states want to facilitate the cooperation of Goethe University Frankfurt, Technical University of Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz by finding solutions to dealing with different federal state laws that have made the cooperation more difficult in some areas. Joint funding of research projects across state borders or the organization of study programs could be made easier in the future, for example. A corresponding agreement will be drafted by early summer and then entered into between the federal states.

“The future of science lies in networks and alliances which optimally combine the strengths of the individual science institutions – this is the conviction that drives the three RMU universities”, says Hessian Science Minister Timon Gremmels. “The cooperation enables an exchange of experience, the joint use of resources and infrastructures and a broad range of curricula and options for further education. It also benefits knowledge transfer in that the RMU can, for example, specifically attract external partners for regional, national and international cooperations. With the new cooperation, we reduce bureaucracy and facilitate cooperation in this pioneering endeavor across federal state boundaries.”

„Three universities, each strong both on a national and international level, pool their strengths in the RMU alliance, liaise closely with each other when it comes to research, teaching, transfer and administration and, in doing so, can achieve even more for science and the Rhine-Main region. Over the past years, the cooperation – initiated by the universities’ executive boards – has gained great momentum. As the federal states in which the universities are located, we want to continue to support this development and, through the agreement, bring it an important step forward”, adds Clemens Hoch, Science Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Technical University of Darmstadt, Goethe University Frankfurt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz entered into their strategic partnership in 2015. Since then, the three partners of the alliance of the Rhine-Main Universities have cooperated closely in almost all areas – from joint research projects and study programs to jointly used infrastructures and the coordinated recruitment of researchers. From 2021 to 2025, the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture and the Ministry for Science and Health of Rhineland-Palatinate have supported the RMU with a total of around 49 million euros.

Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, President of Goethe University:

“Between Mainz, Darmstadt and Frankfurt, there is an unparalleled strength in research that cannot be found elsewhere. The three universities complement each other and have been cooperating closely for several decades, both content-wise and with regard to structural matters, within the limits of what is possible across federal state boundaries. These boundaries must not be obstacles to top level research – which is why we are delighted that the science ministers of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate want to help us reduce bureaucratic obstacles. This is a great help for us with regard to a lot of new projects and enables us to present a united front as an excellent alliance.”

Prof. Dr. Tanja Brühl, President of TU Darmstadt:

“The RMU has grown organically over the past ten years. Today, we are working across all three universities in research, teaching and the Third Mission on a large number of questions for which we, in particular as an alliance, can find new, groundbreaking answers – because our profiles complement each other and we can pool our diversity into joint strengths. We are thrilled that the agreement between the two federal states will enable a significantly easier cooperation in the future. We will be able to act even faster and even more creative – which is precisely what characterizes us as the RMU.”

Prof. Dr. Georg Krausch, President of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz: 

“Easier cooperation within the RMU will enable us to have an even greater impact on the entire region and to further strengthen it with scientific findings and highly skilled professionals. Because we teach, learn, do research and work for and with society. The Rhine-Main region already is one of the strongest regions in Germany, in terms of both economy and science.”

More than 93,500 students are currently enrolled at the three universities. In 2023, all three universities together raised about 675 million euros in external funding and are currently employing around 1,500 professorships. They have numerous joint research foci, for example in the areas of life sciences and medicine, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, as well as particle physics and material and energy research.