Originally, the Network of University Medicine (NUM) was established in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has since evolved into a nationwide network and platform for medical research, where for the first time, researchers from all 37 German university medicine locations collaborate together. The NUM promotes innovative collaboration in interdisciplinary research projects spanning all medical disciplines. The projects funded by NUM operate cooperatively across sites and do not compete against each other. By leveraging synergies, collaborative actions, and coordinated approaches, challenges can be addressed quickly and efficiently.

Goals

All projects and activities within the NUM contribute to the following three overarching goals:

1. Establishing a nationwide infrastructure for clinical research and building a comprehensive data and study network.
2. Ensuring rapid and quality-assured responses to future public health crises.
3. Creating a network as the primary point of contact for (national) clinical research.

To achieve these goals, the Network of University Medicine specifically supports large collaborative projects with a clear focus on clinical research. These projects are designed to facilitate the involvement of all 37 university medicine locations and enable extensive collaboration within the medical community. Special emphasis is placed on the interdisciplinary nature of these projects. Furthermore, all funded projects serve to establish a national platform for the clinically researching community. This platform aims to enhance the exchange, networking, and cooperation among researchers to sustainably advance medical research in Germany.

Funding

The Network of University Medicine is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR). In the first funding phase (April 2020 - December 2021), the establishment of NUM was supported with €150 million. The second funding period, which started in January 2022 and ran until June 2025, allocated a total of €240 million. In the current third funding phase, established infrastructures are being further developed and supported by research projects. For this purpose, a total of €277 million is available over a period of 5 years (July 2025 - July 2030).

Further information about the Network University Medicine (NUM) and all current projects can be found in the video (© Netzwerk Universitätsmedizin) and here.