University of Bonn

About the university

Founded in 1818, the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn is one of Germany’s leading research universities. Located in over 350 buildings spread throughout the former capital of West Germany, Bonn is an open and outward-looking university in which to learn, research and work. Bonn has around 35,000 students. It has produced more Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winners than any other German university over the past few decades.

Since 2019, the University of Bonn is one of only 11 ‘Universities of Excellence’ to be designated by Germany’s Federal Government. Bonn has six Clusters of Excellence - more than any other German university. It also has a vibrant programme of transdisciplinary research across all major themes.

Our relationship

St Andrews’ links to Bonn date back over a hundred years. During St Andrews quincentenary celebrations (1911), Bonn was one of the universities to send a commemorative scroll to its ‘sister university.’ Bonn and St Andrews signed a strategic partnership agreement in December 2018, reflecting the importance of student, researcher and professional staff connections that had built up over the years, and their hope to work together with other partner universities.

Hear more from Professor Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, and Professor Dr Dr h.c. Michael Hoch, Rector of the University of Bonn, about the collaboration between St Andrews and Bonn:

St Andrews’ links to Bonn spread across all levels of both institutions, and include:

• Undergraduate student exchange in Arts and Sciences, eTandem and other projects.
• A Joint Masters programme in German and Comparative Literature.
• Global PhDs and postgraduate research exchange
• Research collaboration, events and activities.
• Supporting joint research through our joint Collaborative Research Grants programme.
• Professional Staff collaboration, training weeks and exchanges.
• Regular meetings of the Senior Management Teams, Researchers and International Offices of both institutions, both virtually and in-person.