Dartmouth and TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing a research and education partnership focused on energy transition, sustainable raw materials, and environmental systems. The agreement establishes a framework for joint research, faculty and student exchange, and collaborative pursuit of U.S., German, and European funding opportunities.
The partnership, spearheaded by TU Bergakademie Freiberg and Dartmouth's Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society, reflects more than two years of faculty-level engagement between the two institutions and follows a Letter of Intent signed by Dartmouth Provost Santiago Schnell and TUBAF Rector Jutta Emes in March 2026.
"Strong research partnerships are built on complementary strengths and shared intellectual ambition. What draws Dartmouth to TUBAF is precisely that combination. Their applied research infrastructure and deep technical expertise complement Dartmouth's strengths across a range of institutional priorities — from AI and computational modeling to climate science, entrepreneurship, and the energy transition. I look forward to seeing what our faculty and students build together, and I expect this collaboration will yield growing mutual benefits," said Provost Schnell.
Rector Emes: "We are very pleased to have Provost Santiago Schnell and the delegation from Dartmouth visit us at Freiberg. Dartmouth and the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg already have various research collaborations in the fields of materials science, geosciences, as well as in mine rescue medicine. I am convinced that researchers and students at both universities, as well as society as a whole, will benefit from the closer collaboration."
The institutions identified core areas of research alignment: energy transition and raw materials; materials science and advanced manufacturing; AI, data science, and computational modeling; and energy policy and markets. Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering and Tuck School of Business are among the identified initial collaborators, with the expectation that collaborations will expand across Dartmouth’s School of Arts & Sciences over time.
About Dartmouth and the Irving Institute
Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and one of the world's leading academic institutions. The Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society advances interdisciplinary research and education at the intersection of energy and society, drawing on expertise across Dartmouth's schools and departments.
About TU Bergakademie Freiberg
Founded in 1765, TU Bergakademie Freiberg is the world's oldest university of mining sciences and one of Germany's most research-intensive technical universities. With approximately 4,000 students — more than 80% pursuing STEM fields — and $83 million USD in annual third-party research funding, TUBAF is internationally recognized for its work in energy systems, raw materials, hydrogen, recycling, and environmental sustainability.
