Research as part of the Excellence Strategy

Current news

Individual small robot

"Turing test" for animal systems

What advantages do robots offer in researching the behavioural rules of animal groups? How is robotics research inspired by nature? Three robotics researchers from the Cluster of Excellence "Collective Behaviour" (CASCB) at the University of Konstanz provide insights.

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Six pupils sit in two rows in the classroom.

The German school sorting system

A research project by the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" at the University of Konstanz studies whether school students feel that (early) sorting into different types of schools is fair – this focus on the children's perspective is new.

Drawing of a man and a woman sitting opposite each other on chairs. He is agitated or angry. His feelings are being transferred to her.

Stress transmission

Can stress be transmitted across individuals? How about other physiological states? Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behaviour investigated this question for humans and animals.

Bench on a railway track. There is luggage next to the bench.

The influence of non-regulatory factors on asylum decisions

Study by researchers from the Nuremberg Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the University of Konstanz and the University of Bamberg concludes that the chances of obtaining asylum in a specific region depend upon how sceptical of migration its population and government are.

Black letters on a white background: Gender Pay Gap"

Equal Pay Day

In Germany, women earn an average of 18 percent less than their male colleagues. Over one year, this is the equivalent of women working for free until 6 March 2024 (Equal Pay Day). In a policy paper, researchers from the Konstanz Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" explain how the gender pay gap could be reduced.

In_equality Research Award

The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" at the University of Konstanz presents In_equality Research Award 2024 to economist Simon Jäger in recognition of his exceptional research achievements and their social relevance. The award ceremony will take place on 10 April 2024 during the In_equality Conference at Bodenseeforum Konstanz.

Eating together

Behavioural biologist Barbara Fruth and health psychologist Britta Renner from the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behaviour provide insights into the importance of eating together for humans and animals in a new episode of the German podcast "Exzellent erklärt - Spitzenforschung für alle". They also talk about research into swarm intelligence.

Two lions in grassland. One is standing. The other one is laying close to a bush.

In the realm of lions

“Contrary to ‘The Lion King’ there is no king or queen in lion societies. No single individual gets priority access to resources, whether that be access to mates or access to food after participating in a hunt”, says Konstanz researcher Natalia Borrego.

Modelling the spread of diseases

Computer scientists from the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behaviour developed a model, that explains how collective scenarios such as diseases may proceed.