In 2003, in the course of implementing the Bologna Reform, the presidents and rectors of nine leading Technical Universities in Germany joined forces as an informal group. In 2006, the group was institutionalized with the founding of the non-profit association “TU9 – German Institutes of Technology e. V.” and the opening of the TU9 Office in Berlin.

In 2018, when revising the association’s bylaws, the name of the Alliance was changed to “TU9 – German Universities of Technology e. V.” The nine TU9 founding members – RWTH Aachen University, Technische Universität Berlin, University of Braunschweig – Institute of Technology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Technische Universität Dresden, Leibniz University Hannover, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Technical University of Munich and University of Stuttgart – continue to form the TU9 Alliance today.

The TU9 President and the TU9 Vice President form the TU9 Executive Board. Together with the TU9 Managing Director it represents the Alliance to the outside world. The TU9 General Assembly, the Alliance’s decision-making body, comprises the nine presidents and rectors of the TU9 Universities and meets three times a year.

Each TU9 University has a central contact person, the TU9 Liaison Officer, as its inhouse touch point for and interface with the TU9 Berlin Office, the hub of all activities. TU9 bodies serve TU9’s internal cooperation in specific subject areas.

The TU9 internal collaboration is characterized by a vibrant culture of cooperation and the opportunity for fast, informal feedback among colleagues. The internal network has been consolidated through the formation of bodies. Structured exchange occurs in two different formats: in TU9 Committees and TU9 Panels which meet at regular intervals.

TU9 Committees are permanent, advisory bodies within the Alliance comprising members of the rectorates and presidencies of the TU9 Universities. In addition to ensuring inhouse exchange of experience, they address topics of strategic importance and develop recommendations for action for the TU9 General Assembly.

TU9 Panels comprise representatives of the TU9 Universities responsible for specific subjects on the operational level. They primarily serve the exchange of experience along with networking inhouse and advise and support the TU9 Berlin Office in the development and implementation of joint projects.