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Close-up of a landmark in the Ruhr region against a red evening sky © Marcel R​/​stock.adobe.com
Gain 2026

Days of Inspiration and Connection

A large delegation from the three Ruhr universities at a trade show booth © Barak Shrama
The University Alliance Ruhr was present with a large booth during the three days of the GAIN conference.
The GAIN annual conference in San Francisco brought together young researchers, universities, funding organizations, and partner institutions from the entire transatlantic academic community. Among them: the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), which made the strengths of the Ruhr region visible with a joint appearance. NRW’s Minister of Science, Ina Brandes, also got an impression of this at the UA Ruhr’s joint booth. The GAIN conference took place from August 21 to 23, 2026. Afterwards, rectors from NRW universities, including the UA Ruhr delegation, visited Stanford University together with Minister of Science Brandes.

Research, Funding, and Collaboration Benefits

The three universities of the UA Ruhr, with their leaders Martin Paul (Ruhr University Bochum), Manfred Bayer (TU Dortmund University), and Barbara Albert (University Duisburg-Essen), presented joint research initiatives, university-wide research funding programs for talents, and the unique advantages of the alliance. With their expertise, the representatives of the three universities also contributed to the GAIN program, for example in workshops and panel discussions. 

Scientific Careers in the Ruhr Region

At the GAIN in San Francisco, Rectors Martin Paul and Manfred Bayer also showcased the mission of the Ruhr Innovation Lab. They highlighted how the initiative is set to create innovative research career perspectives in the Ruhr region and were inspired to see how their joint vision and ideas resonated with research talents and partners from all over the world.

Stanford: Entrepreneurial Spirit and Expertise

The visit to Stanford University took place at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and Science of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The focus was on the successful spin-offs from the university and the culture of creative experimentation and entrepreneurship practiced there. In various areas of the university, there were concrete insights and examples of why Stanford is so successful in promoting entrepreneurial spirit and technical expertise.