Excellence Centre for Hearing Research
Excellence Centre for Hearing Research
Excellence Centre for Hearing Research
Hearing and the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hearing loss are key health issues. About one in five people worldwide suffers from hearing impairment; in Germany this figure is about 15 million. The volume of the world market for hearing systems is currently estimated at about 10 billion US dollars. High growth rates are expected.
At its locations in Oldenburg and Hanover, Lower Saxony has a distinctive innovation landscape on the subject of hearing, which is one of the most important worldwide. Particularly noteworthy are the broad, interdisciplinary approach, the excellent equipment with high-tech research infrastructure such as special laboratories and large diagnostic devices as well as a globally unique pool of research data based on subject studies and clinical patient data. Questions on all aspects of audiology, from clinical practice to hearing and speech acoustics, from the neurobiology and psychology of hearing to technical fundamentals in areas such as electronics and materials research can be addressed. In cooperation with external partners at the location, there is the possibility of system integration up to application-ready products.
The Centre of Excellence for Hearing Research is a joint central institution of the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Hanover Medical School and Leibniz University Hanover. It bundles the competences of these universities and coordinates the joint acquisition and implementation of research and development projects. In addition, it serves to promote young scientists and advanced training in the field of hearing research.
With its services in the areas of strategy development, coordination, project and event management as well as research marketing, the Centre of Excellence contributes to securing the sustainability of hearing research at the Oldenburg-Hannover network location in the long term and to achieving stronger links between the existing, intra-university and diversified research groups as well as the university structures oriented towards hearing research. Its worldwide visibility makes it a flagship of Lower Saxony's top-level research and contributes to attracting and retaining top-level researchers in scientific research and clinical medicine to the location. It thus plays an important role in the scientific profiling of the participating universities.
The DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all" is a collaborative project of outstanding importance for the joint work in the Centre of Excellence.
The Centre of Excellence for Hearing Research is led by an executive board consisting of six cluster group leaders (three from the University of Oldenburg, two from Hannover Medical School and one from Leibniz Universität Hannover), with one member being the executive director. An extended board, which includes the presidents of the three participating universities and the chairperson of the scientific advisory board, decides on fundamental issues.