PHOTO: Research at Charité © Charité | Arne Sattler
CEO sees success threatened by cost-cutting measures
Berlin, 22 January 2026
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin has achieved 29th place out of 1,230 participating universities from 102 countries in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Subject Ranking 2026 in the field of “Medical and Health.” This means it continues to hold the number one position in Germany. The ranking is internationally recognized as one of the most influential university comparisons.
“We are once again among the top 30 worldwide – this is gratifying and underscores Charité’s outstanding position as a research and teaching institution in the state of Berlin,” says Prof. Joachim Spranger, Dean of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. “The ranking impressively demonstrates that we are among the best training and research institutions not only nationally, but also internationally. My thanks go to all Charité staff members who, with their tremendous dedication despite the current challenging circumstances, have made this success possible.”
However, maintaining this top position in Germany is not a given and requires equally consistent political support. Professor Heyo K. Kroemer, CEO of Charité, warns of the consequences of further budget cuts by the state government: “We must acknowledge that Charité, as a scientific institution, is facing increasingly fierce national and international competition. We are still achieving excellent results and offsetting budget cuts on our own.
Other countries, including other German states, are investing heavily in science and research, and the positive results are clearly evident. The significantly decreasing financial support from the state of Berlin is increasingly restricting Charité’s scope for action and thus permanently damaging the competitiveness of our location. If political decision-makers do not reconsider this development, it is inevitable that Berlin will lose its leading position in university medicine in the coming years and thus become less attractive as a research location.”
The World University Ranking published by the London-based magazine Times Higher Education (THE) compares research-intensive universities in the areas of teaching, research environment and quality, industry, and international orientation. The subject-specific ranking “Medical and Health” assesses medicine, dentistry, and other health-related disciplines. Charité, the joint medical faculty of the Free University of Berlin and Humboldt University of Berlin, performs above average in all areas, but is particularly strong in research quality (research strength and influence) and industry (industry partnerships and patents).
Internationally, the ranking is led by universities from Great Britain and the USA. Within the EU, Charité ranks second, behind the Karolinska Institute (Sweden). In Germany, it leads the ranking among the 30 participating universities.
About Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Charité is the joint medical faculty of the Free University of Berlin and Humboldt University of Berlin, where over 10,000 students are trained in human and dental medicine, as well as health sciences and nursing. More than 5,700 employees in the scientific and medical fields advance groundbreaking developments in medicine every day, closely integrating basic and patient-oriented research. As part of the Berlin University Alliance (BUA), Charité contributes to strengthening Berlin as a center of scientific excellence. Third-party funding of more than €277 million is a testament to its research strength. Charité collaborates successfully with national and international partners in numerous projects and partnerships. Its research focuses on infection, inflammation and immunity; cardiovascular research and metabolism; neuroscience; oncology; regenerative therapies; and rare diseases and genetics.