University Relations

Partnering with universities

Alongside traditional contract research, Siemens works closely with universities and research institutions around the world on publicly funded research and innovation projects.

Since almost two decades we have been running a strategic partner university program which is tailored to the needs of both Siemens and academia. We collaborate with 25 leading universities worldwide, reinforcing our innovative strength and winning over new talents for the Siemens of tomorrow.

The dialog with university students includes idea competitions and hackathons, industry-sponsored doctorates for graduates at Siemens, and university teaching positions for Siemens employees. Siemens also sits on various academic bodies, where it seeks to better fuse industrial and academic requirements.

International alliances

Research “co-locations” and “living labs” allow professors, Siemens experts, and students to interact and familiarize themselves with Siemens products and technologies up close. An interdisciplinary approach, especially in the field of digital technology, is becoming increasingly important. Siemens shares its industry expertise and its knowledge of industry needs in the development of new curricula in the forward-looking technologies of AI, cybersecurity, and IoT. Siemens is actively driving forward new partnerships with academic incubators, keeping its finger on the pulse of the times so as not to miss out on important technological developments and trends.

„Center of Knowledge Interchange“ (CKI)

The Center of Knowledge Interchange (CKI) is the flagship program of scientific collaboration at Siemens. CKI gives Siemens access to state-of-the-art research and a highly qualified talent pool. The universities, in turn, can carry out research projects based on real-world issues, opening up valuable career opportunities for their graduates.

The CKI program enables a lively dialog between the industrial and academic worlds. In the CKI office, an on-campus expert financed by Siemens (CKI Manager) manages the partnership in ongoing exchange with a dedicated team of Siemens research and talent acquisition experts. At the management level, an Executive Sponsor from the Siemens top management maintains a personal dialog with the CKI Director and the university administration. Master research contracts in place with all CKI universities make it easy to launch new research projects quickly with a minimum of bureaucracy.

Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany

FAU and Siemens are linked by a close network of experts—the result of over 75 years of trusting collaboration. Joint research activities include manufacturing automation, materials science and power electronics. The Campus Future Energy Systems (Campus FES) is the collaborative research effort of Siemens and its partners FAU, Fraunhofer IISB, Nuremberg Tech, KIT, Energie Campus Nürnberg, and the Helmholtz Institute into the sustainability and efficiency of future energy grids.

• FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg
• Campus FES

Technical University of Munich, Germany

TU Munich has collaborated with Siemens on innovative ideas for industry and society for over 150 years, making it the company’s longest-running CKI partner university. One focus of their joint research is the future of automation. Siemens partners with TUM, LMU, Fraunhofer AISEC, and DFKI through the “Campus Automation & Digitalization” (Campus A&D) research network. The researchers collaborate on both bilateral and publicly funded projects on topics such as Simulation & Digital Twin, Industrial IoT and Cyber Security.

• Technical University of Munich
• Campus A&D (German only)

Technical University of Berlin, Germany

The scientific collaboration between TU Berlin and Siemens is centered entirely around Berlin’s digital ecosystem. Joint research topics include the Internet of Things,  machine learning, energy efficiency, and additive manufacturing. Through the "Werner-von-Siemens-Center of Industry and Science", research is practiced within a co-location approach. Siemens, TU Berlin and several SMEs as well as other research partners are working peer to peer right where products come into being.

• Technical University of Berlin

RWTH Aachen, Germany

Amid the open campus environment of the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH), Siemens is working with RWTH to tackle the great challenges of the future. Research focusses on the digitalization of production, alternative manufacturing processes, new ways of energy production and innovative energy grids. The "Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW" offers Siemens new possibilities to collaborate with agile academic start-ups.

• RWTH Aachen

Graz University of Technology, Austria

The success of the long lasting cooperation between Siemens and TU Graz in rail technology is due to the strategic fit of both organizations. Collaboration is being expanded in the university´s excellence areas of Cybersecurity, IIoT, Rail Research und energy management, in conjunction with Comptence Centers located on campus. Last but not least, the advantage of the location plays a crucial role, with Styria being one of the top R&D regions in the European Union.

• Graz University of Technology

Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Tsinghua University is Siemens‘  most important academic partner in Asia.  Joint research activities include robotics, AI, Cybersecurity and Power Electronics. Through public funding & Tsinghua´s university network, new technology demonstration opportunities are created in the region.

• Tsinghua University

Georgia Institute of Technology (GeorgiaTech), USA

With Siemens locations near and on campus, Georgia Tech graduates one of the largest diverse future workforces trained and ready to tackle the challenges and needs of industry. Joint research activities include Robotics, Data analytics, AI, Systems Design, Simulation and Digital Twin.

• Georgia Institute of Technology

UC Berkeley, USA

UC Berkeley is Siemens’ window into the innovation ecosystem of the bay area and towards excellent graduates.  Joint research activities include Robotics, Simulation, Deep Learning and Augmented/Virtual Reality.

• UC Berkeley

Principal Partner Universities

The CKI program is complemented by a second partnership model with 17 more universities: the Principal Partner Universities. The partnership is facilitated by master research agreements and special Siemens contact persons on working and management level. Like the CKI program, the Principal Partner University program has an international focus. The partner universities are located in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the US, China, the UK, and Denmark.