Applied research for sustainability of social e development - this is the principle of Nürtingen-Geislingen University (NGU). On the research map of the German Rectors´Conference, NGU is included with two research priorities:
- Applied Agricultural Research, Landscape Development, Environmental Planning and Nature Conservation: IAAF, ILU
- Sustainable Management in the energy, automotive and real estate industries: ISR, IFA, ISI, IfnI
Since the integration of the University of Art Therapy into NGU in 2016, NGU has also been involved in applied research on social issues. The research activities at NGU are organized in research institutes. The Centre for Applied Research (IAF) is the service unit for all professors engaged in research. It is located in NGU’s research center at Hechinger Straße 12 in Nürtingen alongside a few research institutes and the Innovation and Methods Lab.
NGU’s research institutes include the following:
- Institute of Applied Agricultural Research (IAAF)
- Institute of Automotive Industry (IFA)
- Institute for Corporate Governance (ICG)
- Institute of Research and Development in Art and Drama Therapies (IKTn)
- Institute for Sustainable Property Management (IfnI)
- Institute for Landscape and Environment (ILU)
- Institute of Urban Development and Real Estate (ISI)
- Institute for International Research on Sustainable Management and Renewable Energy (ISR)
Transfer of ideas, knowledge and technologies Nürtingen-Geislingen University (NGU) engages in the transfer of ideas, knowledge and technologies in a two-way process:
- Knowledge that is generated at NGU is made accessible and useable to businesses, local authorities and society.
- NGU actively seeks to establish and maintain contacts to businesses, local authorities and society in order to be able to take on relevant research topics and needs for innovations and to learn from practical knowledge at the level of society.
In accordance with the research priorities at NGU, transfer takes place particularly in the fields Economics and Management and Urban Development, Land Use and Mobility as well as in the field of Art and Drama Therapy. Thus, NGU significantly contributes to a sustainable and forward-looking development of the region.
At NGU several institutions engage in activities related to the transfer of knowledge, ideas and technologies. These include the Coordination Center for Sustainable Developmentent, the Innovations and Start-up Centre Geislingen, the Competence Center for Green Building and Urban Climate e.V., the Steinbeis Transfer Center Industrial Innovation and Transformation Management, the MLab-Innovation and Methods Lab as well as all technical institutes and An-Institutes at NGU.
NGU responds to current transformation and sustainable development processes with entrepreneurial opportunities for its students and partners.
With the Zukunft.Gründen (ZuG) project, NGU supports innovative and sustainable start-ups to achieve financial stability and create fascinating business models that contribute to solving current social and ecological challenges in the Neckar-Alb region

Together with the cooperating university, we support our PhD candidates. Normaly professors at Nürtingen-Geislingen University (NGU) function as second supervisor, while primary supervision is taken by the professors of the respective cooperating university.
Here you find a list of our current PhD candidates.
