Central scientific institutes
- Center for Computational Sciences and Simulations (CCSS)
- Center for Empirical Research in Education (ZeB)
- Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE)
- Centre for Logistics and Transport (ZLV)
- Centre for Medical Biotechnology (ZMB)
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU)
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ELH)
- Essen College of Gender Studies (EKfG)
- Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST)
- Institute for Experimental Mathematics (IEM)
- paluno - The Ruhr Institute for Software Technology
Associated institutes
- German textile research centre north-west (DTNW)
- Development centre for ship technology and transport systems (DST)
- Institute of energy and eviromental technology (IUTA)
- Institute of mobile and satellite communication technology (IMST)
- Institute for prevention and health promotion (IPG)
- Institute of science and ethics (IWE)
- IWW water centre
- Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities (KWI)
- Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr
- Rhine-Ruhr institute for social research and political consulting (RISP)
- Salomon Ludwig Steinheim institute for German-Jewish history (StI)
- Center for fuel cell technology (ZBT)
- Center for Studies on Turkey