TU research team develops method with potential for quantum computers

Researchers at the Department of Physics at TU Darmstadt have succeeded in controlling up to 2,500 laser beams simultaneously with spatial and temporal precision. They have now presented their findings in the prestigious journal „Physical Review Applied“.

One month ahead of the on-site evaluation by the international review panel as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments, the strategic Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) alliance is entering the final phase of preparations with confidence and strong momentum. From April 14 to 16, 2026, the alliance – comprising Goethe University Frankfurt, Technical University of Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz – will present itself and its joint proposal “EXCITE – Excellent. Collaborative. Transformative.” on Frankfurt’s Westend Campus. With this proposal, RMU is applying for designation as a University Consortium of Excellence.

Feedback from academic and administrative staff requested

The Online Toolkit for Joint Educational Offerings is currently being further developed within the Unite! Alliance – and contributions from practice are highly welcome. The Toolkit is a central, practice-oriented resource that supports the development and delivery of joint educational offerings within Unite!. It brings together guidelines, tools and practical examples, helping to facilitate the planning and implementation of collaborative teaching formats between partner universities.

Interdisciplinary publication at the Centre for Synthetic Biology

How can cells be programmed to respond to complex signals and make targeted decisions, similar to a logical circuit in a computer? An interdisciplinary team from two research groups at the Centre for Synthetic Biology at TU Darmstadt has developed a new approach: an RNA-based genetic switch. The results were published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.

New RMU Research Training Group examines the experiential dimension of democratic coexistence

On 1 April, the Research Training Group ‘Aesthetics of Democracy’, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), will start under the leadership of Goethe University Frankfurt and with the participation of TU Darmstadt, both of which are part of the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU). Spokesperson Professor Johannes Völz (Goethe University) and co-spokesperson Professor Sophie Loidolt (TU) present the research project in an interview.

Students from six Unite! universities meet in Wrocław

Seventeen student representatives from UPC, TU Darmstadt, Aalto, KTH, ULisboa and Wrocław Tech came together in Poland to discuss collaboration, communication and responsibility in a changing technological world. The forum also provided insight into what Unite! offers students in concrete terms and how students can actively contribute and shape the alliance.

New hoch³ Visual Story out now

‘Excellence Track Algebra’ launched

The Collaborative Research Centre ‘GAUS’ has been researching complex geometric and arithmetic objects since 2021. The Rhine-Main Universities Goethe University Frankfurt (as coordinator), TU Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (as associate partner) as well as the University of Heidelberg are involved. For the 2025/26 winter semester, the ‘Excellence Track Algebra’ has now been established as an in-depth, research-oriented programme for Master's students. Professor Timo Richarz presents the programme in an interview.

3. Unite!-Ed Future Conference on Higher Education for Democracy in a Changing Global Landscape

The full-day summit focuses on Higher Education for Democracy in a Changing Global Landscape. It will highlight Unite! Seed Fund projects and provide matchmaking opportunities for participants interested in international joint teaching or collaborative degree programs. Registration is now open.

Shaping Sustainable Electronics

From 15 to 19 June 2026, the second edition of the SUSTAIN-E Summer School on Sustainable Electronics will take place in Grenoble, France, bringing together students, researchers and industry to advance sustainable electronics. The programme addresses key challenges in sustainable electronics – from design and production to use, recycling and circularity.

New Innovation Cluster Strengthens Rhine-Main Region

Leading stakeholders from medicine, academia and industry in Darmstadt are establishing a Health Care Innovation Cluster. The aim is to strengthen the Rhine-Main region as a hub for applied health research, AI-based medicine and clinical innovation. The cluster promotes networking, clinical trials and spin-offs, and creates new infrastructures for research, knowledge transfer and healthcare provision.

‘LLMentor’ supports lecturers in assessing and providing feedback on academic texts

Learning scientific writing requires precise feedback, which is a particular challenge in very large courses with many participants. In the Department of Computer Science at TU Darmstadt, the AI assistance system ‘LLMentor’ is therefore being used for the first time to support the assessment of students’ exposés and peer reviews for final theses. The tool reduces the workload for lecturers and promotes consistent feedback – without taking decisions out of the lecturer’s hands.

More than 300 Uniters are working on the Alliance’s roadmap towards 2030

From February 9 to 12, Politecnico di Torino hosted the XIII Unite! Dialogue. More than 300 representatives from the nine Unite! universities – students, researchers, and staff – gathered in Turin to shape the strategic direction of the Alliance towards 2030. Under the theme “From a short-term Erasmus+ project to a long-term alliance for EU competitiveness”, the Unite! community worked on the funding proposal for the 2026–2028 period and on strengthening the integration of Alliance activities within the structures of the individual partner universities.

RMU Research Training Group meets for mid-term conference

Since 2023, the Research Training Group ‘Standards of Governance’ at TU Darmstadt and Goethe University Frankfurt – both part of the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) – has been conducting research on the concept of ‘good governance’. At a conference, the researchers exchanged ideas on their research questions – ranging from supply chain legislation to forest protection. Spokesperson Professor Jens Steffek provides insight in an interview.