Key Profile Areas (KPA) at the University of Cologne are thematically defined research areas of high scientific and/or social relevance. They have a substantial critical mass and are characterized by research at the highest international level. They connect researchers from different faculties and bundle existing projects, centers and expertise. KPAs enable interdisciplinary research and initiate new collaborations that are often not possible within faculties. They create exchange formats, joint research proposals and research thematic priorities. Large collaborative projects (DFG, EU, BMBF, ERC etc.) are developed within the KPAs in order to strategically position themselves, e.g. in excellence competitions, and to increase the visibility and reputation of the university.
At an international level, KPAs establish long-term international collaborations, promote visiting professorships, e.g. in the form of a Global Faculty, publish joint publications and form networks, thereby strengthening the university's global presence. In addition, they maintain a dialogue with politics, civil society, culture and business and contribute to the transfer of knowledge and results to the public at public events.
The following KPAs at the University of Cologne coordinate, strengthen and profile central fields of research - interdisciplinarily, internationally and strategically:
The KPA Global South Studies has several key tasks:
The KPA Global South Studies contributes to increasing the visibility of knowledge and perspectives from the Global South and bringing them into scientific research and social discourse. It promotes a critical view of global interdependencies — such as issues of development, sustainability, postcolonial history, and social (in)justice — while strengthening the university's international networking.
The KPA Global South Studies is coordinated by the Global South Studies Center (GSSC) – a research center at the University of Cologne that brings together interdisciplinary research, coordinates administrative and organizational matters, and fosters international cooperation. The various academic works of the more than 60 members are embedded in third-party funded projects, research networks, and international partnerships with various universities worldwide.
The KPA Global South Studies aims to strengthen research on cultural, social, economic, and ecological changes in the Global South and develop responses to multiple crises and planetary challenges. This means:
Another core objective is to strengthen and expand scientific cooperation with partner institutions in the Global South. This includes long-term:
The KPA focuses on co-production of knowledge, in which researchers from the Global South and the University of Cologne work together on an equal basis. Principles such as sharing, involvement, and participation are central to this approach.
Another important goal of the KPA is to raise the international visibility and research profile of young researchers through:
The aim is to create attractive scientific careers for them.
The KPA Global South Studies seeks to establish a visible, internationally interconnected research unit that disseminates its findings not only in academic settings, but also in ways that have a social impact – for example through:
KPA Global South Studies is organized as a dynamic, multi-level research structure that combines interdisciplinary collaboration, international networking, and strategic profile building.
The KPA's work is structured into three interconnected research areas covering key topics in Global South Studies:
Environment & Infrastructure: Research on the environment, resources, infrastructure and their social impact.
Museum & Heritage: Analysis of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, museums, memory politics and knowledge systems.
Co-Producing Knowledge & South-South Relations: Focus on joint knowledge production, transnational cooperation and relations between regions of the Global South.
These research areas form the thematic core of the KPA and are open to new interdisciplinary impulses.
The research areas are supplemented by various research formats. These formats enable both long-term collaborative research as well as shorter-term topic-specific collaborations.
Collaborative research questions and third-party funding applications
Funding for innovative individual projects
Systematically integrated support for young researchers
The research structure is supplemented by cross-disciplinary working groups within the KPA Global South Studies:
Teaching: research-informed teaching and curriculum developement
Transfer: social dialog and knowledge transfer
Mentoring: support for postdocs in the application process
Professorship Planning: strategic appointment of new professors
The various KPAs at the University of Cologne address common cross-cutting topics. Currently, the cross-cutting topic of artificial intelligence (AI) is a particular focus, with the aim of linking global technological developments with issues of social inequality and knowledge production.
The structure of the KPA is oriented toward a strategic development phase from 2026 to 2029. During this period, research profiles are to be sharpened, collaborations deepened, and sustainable structures for Global South Studies at the University of Cologne further expanded. During this period, the KPA will be closely linked to major university initiatives, such as the Excellence Cluster Initiative on “Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences.”