Located in the heart of the Ruhr metropolis, the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) is one of the youngest and largest universities in Germany. The courses range from the humanities and social sciences over economics and business studies all the way to the engineering sciences and natural sciences (including medicine). It's also wellknown in the international scientific community.

This is reflected by the top positions the UDE has recently achieved in international rankings. In a global comparison of the performance of the best universities founded since the turn of the millennium, the UDE came in third. In the Times Higher Education Ranking, it holds down 14th place among the best 200 universities worldwide younger than 50 years old.

The research carried out at the UDE covers a broad spectrum including four cross-departmental main research areas: nanosciences, biomedical sciences, urban systems and transformation of contemporary societies. More than 43,000 students from over 130 countries are enrolled at the UDE in a total of over 230 courses of study. An important objective of the UDE’s diversity management program is to offer equal opportunities to young people from non-academic backgrounds.

As an academic global player, the UDE cultivates partnerships with more than 100 universities all over the world. It is a member of the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), a strategic coalition formed by the three universities in the Ruhr area. The UA Ruhr operates liaison offices in North America, Russia, and Latin America.