Competence Centers are central research institutions that have a cross-sectional function and provide expertise and support from basic research to the development of methods and instrumentation for the entire range of research carried out at FAU. FAU Competence Centers are permanent institutions that are subject to evaluation every seven years.
FAU Competence Centers
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The FAU Competence Center Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM) further develops scientific methods and processes in FAU’s key research priority New Materials and Processes and provides a wide range of infrastructure, expertise and services. It is divided into seven specialist departments and the Graduate School of Engineering of Advanced Materials (GS EAM).
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The FAU Competence Center for Applied Philosophy of Science and Key Qualifications (FAU ZIWIS) focuses on the innovative area of applied philosophy of science, which examines the theoretical and practical preconditions and consequences of science as a whole, i.e. the history, ethics and philosophy of science.
Its research is published via an inter-faculty platform and used in collaborative projects. FAU ZIWIS also provides teaching resources and networking opportunities for students and researchers at FAU and offers key qualifications (SQ).
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FAU Competence Center Education is the central research institution for teaching and teaching support at FAU. Established in March 2025 as the successor to the Center for Continuing Education in University-Level Teaching and the Innovation in Learning Institute, the Competence Center provides advice and support for all aspects of teaching in three departments: StudOn/StudOn-Exam, Media-Assisted Teaching and University Teaching.
Guided by the Guidelines on innovative teaching at FAU, the Competence Center works with teaching staff from all faculties and develops the strategic direction of teaching at FAU.
The FAU Competence Center Optical Imaging Center Erlangen (FAU OICE) was established in 2012 as one of the central institutions at FAU. It arose from close collaboration between FAU and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL).
Its mission is to provide and coordinate access to high-end optical microscopes in its Core Facility Unit (CFU) and to develop new microscope systems and techniques in its Exploratory Research Unit (ERU). The Educational Training Unit (ETU) provides training for students and researchers in placements and seminars.
FAU’s Competence Center for Research Data and Information (CDI) is a central research institution that provides support to all researchers at the University and at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen with questions and tasks regarding research data management and the CRIS Research Information System. This support includes providing advice with funding applications as well as services for handling research data and e-research projects.
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FAU’s Competence Center Scientific Computing (FAU CSC) is the competence center for scientific computing at FAU. It consolidates the expertise and experience of more than 40 research institutions at the University.
This makes the CSC a unique interdisciplinary cooperation platform that provides the right environment for even the most complex research tasks in numeric simulation and scientific computing.