Research Exchange Meeting Northwest Alliance

We are pleased to invite you to the next Northwest Alliance Researcher Meeting, taking place on Thursday, 22 October 2026, at the House of Connections here in Groningen. Building on our first exchange meeting in Oldenburg in February 2026, the meeting will bring together researchers from Groningen, Oldenburg and Bremen to strengthen existing connections and explore new opportunities for joint research and activities.

The Northwest Alliance aims to strengthen long-term collaboration between the three universities, with a particular focus on research collaboration, exchange and joint activities. Oldenburg and Bremen submitted their joint proposal within the German Excellence Strategy in 2025, with Groningen participating as a strategic partner. Following the evaluation site visit in May 2026, the final decision is expected on 2 October 2026.

The meeting on 22 October follows the first researcher exchange meeting held in Oldenburg in February. This time, we look forward to welcoming colleagues from Oldenburg and Bremen to Groningen and to showcasing relevant research, projects and expertise from our university. The aim is to continue conversations that have already started, make new connections and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

Programme

The programme will centre on the six focal research areas and two potential areas of the Northwest Alliance:

• Earth System Sciences

• Hearing and Brain Health

• Animal Navigation

• Materials and Processes

• Human-Centered AI

• Global Social Policy

• Green Energy Transition

• Competing Futures

Download the full programme here.

There will be time for research presentations, thematic exchange and networking. There will also be a focus on funding and support available for collaboration within the Northwest Alliance, including the Programme for Excellence (2025–2030) which provides opportunities related to double doctorates, joint events, visiting fellowships and Brown Bag Talks.

From the Groningen side, we would particularly like to highlight relevant research and expertise across these areas and use this as a starting point for discussion with colleagues from Oldenburg and Bremen. The programme will provide ample opportunity for thematic exchange and networking, with the aim of identifying shared interests and concrete next steps.

We will also provide an update on the further development of the Northwest Alliance, with attention to funding and support opportunities for cross-site collaboration, including the planned joint international graduate space.

If you have colleagues whose research connects to the areas and who you think would be interested in joining, please let us know, so that we can include them in further communication about the meeting.

Registration

Please register by 12 October by sending an e-mail to s.garthaus rug.nl, specifying the research area. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.