Young woman is standing in a laboratory in Munich.

Knowledge Clusters Munich

Science and research

Munich is a hive of research and teaching. Alone the presence of so many young people in the city is a clear indication that there are myriad university and non-university institutions for education and science in and around Munich. Add to this the numerous science-based companies who have their headquarters in the Isar metropolis.

Info at a glance

  • about 120.000 students
  • 32,9% academics
  • European „patents capital“ → home to the European Patant Office (EPO), the German Federal Patent Court, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office and the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition (MPI)
  • 17 universities, academies and institutions of higher education → second largest university location in Germany

In the Midst of Life – Science and Research in Munich

Munich is a hive of research and teaching. Alone the presence of so many young people in the city is a clear indication that there are myriad university and non-university institutions for education and science in and around Munich. Add to this the numerous science-based companies who have their headquarters in the Isar metropolis.

The outstanding peaks of research are in physics, information technology, medicine and life sciences, law, aeronautics and space, the energy industry, and the automotive sector. Munich is also the "patents capital" of Europe; it is home to the European Patent Office (EPO), the German Federal Patent Court, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, and the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition (MPI).

 

Simply Excellent – Studying in Munich

Boasting seventeen universities, academies and institutions of higher education, and about 120,000 students, Munich is Germany's second largest university location. Two of the very first universities of excellence also have their home in Munich: the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität (LMU) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are always in the top 100 of the World University Ranking.

Other renowned universities include the Munich University of Applied Sciences, the Universität der Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces University Munich), the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF) as well as the Academy of Fine Arts Munich. Munich's popularity as a place to study continues to grow with the LMU, TUM and Munich University of Applied Sciences registering a record number of 20,000 freshers in the winter semester 2017/18.

 

Renowned Institutions

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. and the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaft e.V. each have their general administration offices and many institutes in the Munich area. The Helmholtz Zentrum – German Research Center for Environmental Health in Neuherberg in the north of Munich and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) at its site in Oberpfaffenhofen also contribute to the pool of scientific competence and innovativeness in the Munich region.

Furthermore, a host of companies in Munich and the whole metropolitan region invest heavily in research and development. With regard to budget and number of employees, Munich is one of the metropolitan regions in Germany most committed to research and development. The proportion of employees liable to social security contributions working in this sector in Munich is practically double the German average.

 

Founder Networks

The science and research landscape of Munich and the surrounding metropolitan region is blossoming thanks to the great economic momentum driven by the tens of thousands of students and highly qualified personnel drawn to Munich, and the active networked founder scene. The LMU and the TUM are two of the best founding universities in Germany with initiatives like the "Spin-off Service und Entrepreneurship Center" of the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität and the "Entrepreneur TUM" of the Technical University of Munich.

 

Respected Ambassadors

The "ProfTreff" event, organized every year since 1989 by the Department of Labour and Industry of the city of Munich, Munich Tourism, and the Munich Congress Alliance (MCA), entices researchers out of their labs and studies to present the latest highlights of Munich as a congress and trade fair location. The events are always held in different extraordinary places; for example, a tunnel construction site is transformed into a ballroom, or the illustrious guests can peek over the shoulder of an artist at an exclusive exhibition preview in the Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art (MUCA).

As a meeting platform for representatives of science and professionals of the congress industry the "ProfTreff" is designed to encourage professors to campaign for Munich as a congress city in their forums and associations. In addition to the positive economic effects for the city, star-studded events like the European Society of Cardiology Congress also boost Munich's international reputation as a science location.

 

Past Congresses:

Internationale Passivhaustagung | Automatica | Intersolar Europe | EES Europe | EM-Power | Interforst | DPG-Frühjahrstagung der Sektion Materie und Kosmos | CESIO | ESA | NANOP

 

 

Photo: Christian Kasper
Clusters Munich
A physician at a screen

Clusters Munich

Medicine

In all modesty, when it comes down to medicine, Munich is simply great.

In all modesty, when it comes down to medicine, Munich is simply great. In no other city in Germany are there so many scientists working on the development of new therapies and drugs and doing basic medical research.

A close-up of a pipette in Munich.

Clusters Munich

Life Science

The Munich Metropolitan Region performs quite well in an intensified global competition.

The Munich Metropolitan Region performs quite well in an intensified global competition: In 2016, approximately 190 biotechnology companies with 12,000 employees and approximately 35 pharmaceutical companies with 8,000 employees had their registered seat in the Munich region, indirectly securing jobs of approximately 4,000 employees working with 80 subcontractors and service providers.

Young woman is standing in a laboratory in Munich.

Clusters Munich

Science and research

Alone the presence of so many young people in the city is a clear indication that there are myriad university and non-university institutions for education and science in and around Munich.

Munich is a hive of research and teaching. Alone the presence of so many young people in the city is a clear indication that there are myriad university and non-university institutions for education and science in and around Munich. Add to this the numerous science-based companies who have their headquarters in the Isar metropolis.

Car at a charging station in Munich.

Clusters Munich

Automotive

Two global players, the BMW Group and commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN, call Munich and the Munich Metropolitan Region home.

Two global players, the BMW Group and commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN, call Munich and the Munich Metropolitan Region home. They are joined by a network of countless suppliers, specialists, developers and service providers.

Two men are looking at a screen.

Clusters Munich

Aerospace technology

The Munich region is one of the major locations for aerospace technology in Germany.

The Munich region is one of the major locations for aerospace technology in Germany and stands out through its extensive scope and depth of sectors. Companies and research institutions are active in aeronautics, space technology, and satellite navigation.

Two person talking about science in Munich.

Clusters Munich

IT and communication

Of the European locations for information and communication technology, Munich is number one.

Of the European locations for information and communication technology, Munich is number one, ahead of metropolises like Paris and London.

Person signs.

Clusters Munich

Insurance and banking

Munich is Germany's number one location for insurance and is only second to Frankfurt for banking. Munich is even the global leader in reinsurance.

Munich is Germany's number one location for insurance and is only second to Frankfurt for banking. Munich is even the global leader in reinsurance.

Paintbrushes and paintings in a studio located in the Kreativquartier in Munich.

Clusters Munich

Culture and creativity

Munich is the headquarters of leading German literary publishers.

Munich is the headquarters of leading German literary publishers; this is where the Süddeutsche Zeitung is printed, the daily newspaper with the highest circulation and probably the most renowned quality newspaper in Germany; the Munich film industry generates 18% of the German turnover; Munich is also a world-class musical and cultural city with award-winning orchestras, stages and museums.