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Joint Research Institutes

The University Alliance Ruhr comprises four joint research institutes.

Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities

A brick building with a round, glazed entrance area, blurred plants blooming purple in the foreground © KWI

The Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities (KWI) is the UA Ruhr’s interdisciplinary research college for the humanities and cultural sciences and stands in the tradition of international institutes for advanced study. It has been jointly run by the three partner universities since 2007.

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Ruhr Astroparticle and Plasma Physics Center

MAGIC telescopes on La Palma, a small and large, futuristic-looking, mirrored telescope © Pluto119​/​stock.adobe.com

In the Ruhr Astroparticle and Plasma Physics Center (RAPP Center), Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen combine their competences in the three fields of particle physics, astrophysics and plasma physics in order to better understand the laws and properties of the universe. The RAPP Center was established in 2015.

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Alliance for Research on East Asia Ruhr

A ship with ancient sails sails on a river in front of the skyline of a large Asian city © AREA Ruhr

Founded in 2016, the Alliance for Research on East Asia Ruhr (AREA Ruhr) is a joint research institution of UDE and RUB With more than 20 professorships, it is one of Europe’s largest research alliances for East Asian studies.

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Mercator Institute for China Studies

A magnifying glass lies on a map of China, which is designed like the Chinese flag, red with yellow stars © Vitalii​/​stock.adobe.com

Ever since its establishment in 2013, the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin has been an affiliated institute of Ruhr University and UDE. It was initiated by the Stiftung Mercator foundation for the purpose of enhancing knowledge and discussions about China in Germany and Europe.

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