For 30 years, our partnership with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin has shown what can be achieved when universities pursue excellence together. Through joint programmes, shared research, and engagement across disciplines and borders, we have created opportunities that connect people and knowledge across Europe. I look forward to the continued development of our partnership and the opportunities it will create for the next generation of international thinkers and leaders.
Professor Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor & President, King’s College London
19 November 2025
King's celebrates 30 years of partnership with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Representatives from King’s College London attended an anniversary event in Berlin to mark three decades of collaboration with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU) and explore opportunities for future exchange.
Established in 1996 by The Dickson Poon School of Law at King's, the partnership has become a model of long-term international cooperation, growing from exchange programmes to joint degrees, short courses and summer schools.
Key achievements include co-founding the European Law School Network, a consortium of leading European universities that jointly offers an integrated European legal education, promotes academic exchange, and nurtures a new generation of internationally minded legal scholars. The partnership also facilitated the creation of the Dual LLB in English and German Law, a four-year bilingual degree that enables students to study at both King’s and HU, gain expertise in two legal systems, and graduate with qualifications recognised in both countries.
The anniversary event brought together scholars, alumni and university leaders to reflect on shared successes and consider opportunities for future collaboration. A highlight of the evening was a conversation between Professor Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor & President of King’s College London, and Professor Julia von Blumenthal, President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In a wide-ranging discussion, they explored the role of universities in fostering democratic and social change, and how higher education institutions can combine resilience, responsibility and innovation to remain relevant in times of global transformation.
The partnership between Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and King’s College London has grown and flourished over the course of three decades – even as academic and political landscapes in Europe have changed profoundly. This anniversary reminds us how enduring academic collaboration can be when it is rooted in shared academic values across borders and the conviction that knowledge and dialogue remain powerful unifying forces.
Professor Dr Julia von Blumenthal, President, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Earlier this month, Henry Marx, Berlin State Secretary for Higher Education and Research, visited King’s to learn more about the university’s world-leading research and teaching. During the visit, he presented a formal letter of congratulations from the State of Berlin to Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, Vice-President (Research & Innovation), recognising the enduring success of the partnership between King’s and HU.
As research ecosystems in two vibrant capital cities, and official partner cities since 2000, Berlin and London share unique opportunities to shape policy, attract global talent, and drive innovation in crucial fields from AI and quantum technologies to sustainability and health applications ... As we look ahead, I’m excited about the potential for even deeper collaboration between our two innovation hubs.
Henry Marx, Berlin State Secretary for Higher Education and Research
The commitment to drive innovation is further exemplified by the Circle U. European University Alliance, where King’s and HU work alongside nine leading institutions to advance education, research and policy engagement across Europe. Through Circle U., academics and students collaborate on challenges related to climate change, democracy, artificial intelligence and health, helping shape the next generation of globally engaged researchers and citizens.
As they look to the future, both universities remain committed to expanding their collaborative initiatives and continuing to strengthen Europe’s academic and research landscape.
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Vice-Chancellor & President of King's College London