▁partner ▁univers ities ▁ ▁University ▁of ▁D uis burg - E ss en ▁( U DE )' s ▁fac ulty ▁partner ▁institutions ▁ ▁Besides ▁the ▁main ▁partner ing ▁univers ities , ▁various ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁Ess en - D uis burg ▁also ▁co oper ate ▁with ▁international ▁univers ities ▁and ▁specific ▁fac ult ies ▁or ▁program mes ▁( click ▁" show " ▁to ▁expand ). ▁ ▁University ▁Alliance ▁Metropol is ▁Ru hr ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁Alliance ▁Metropol is ▁Ru hr ▁network ▁the ▁university ▁is ▁involved ▁in ▁running ▁three ▁l ia ison ▁offices ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁and ▁São ▁Paulo . ▁The ▁offices ▁aim ▁to ▁fost er ▁international ▁academic ▁exchange ▁between ▁the ▁local ▁and ▁Ru hr ▁area ▁and ▁are ▁responsible ▁for ▁their ▁respective ▁contin ents . ▁ ▁International ▁network ▁ ▁The ▁university ▁is ▁also ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁A U RO RA ▁Network ▁of ▁European ▁univers ities . ▁ ▁Further ▁co operation ▁program mes ▁ ▁The ▁university ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁IS : link ▁( Information ▁Systems ▁Student ▁Exchange ▁Network ), ▁the ▁V D AC ▁( Ver band ▁der ▁Deutsch - Amer ikan ischen ▁Club s ▁/ ▁Federation ▁of ▁German - American ▁Club s ▁e . V .) ▁and ▁offers ▁the ▁intern ation ally ▁orient ed , ▁doctor al ▁programme ▁" AR US ▁– ▁Advanced ▁Research ▁in ▁Urban ▁Systems ", ▁which ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁previous ▁academic ▁achiev ements ▁in ▁selected ▁fields ▁within ▁the ▁J oint ▁Centre ▁" U r ban ▁Systems ". ▁ ▁Rank ings ▁ ▁In ▁Germany