A Great Success for Freiburg: University Regains Excellence Title
Freiburg, 02/10/2026
The University of Freiburg again ranks among Germany’s Universities of Excellence. The distinction is a remarkable achievement for the entire University and a strong sign of recognition of its academic performance and ambitious institutional strategy. With the Excellence funding, the University of Freiburg will create new opportunities for groundbreaking research, bring together outstanding minds across disciplinary boundaries, and convert research findings into concrete solutions to societal challenges even faster. Our mission: conducting research that shapes the future and makes a difference where it counts.
An impressive collective achievement: The University of Freiburg is a University of Excellence again. Photo: Silvia Wolf / University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg is again a University of Excellence. From 1 January 2027 on, it will receive institutional funding within the context of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments. The decision was announced by Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space, and Chair of the Joint Science Conference (Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz, GWK) and Falko Mohrs, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture, and Deputy Chair of the GWK, at a German Science and Humanities Council press conference on 2 October 2026.
‘What a great success for our University! We are absolutely thrilled to receive this distinction. It is the result of a monumental collective effort. Individuals from all areas of our University have worked towards this goal with tremendous dedication, great ideas, and a lot of enthusiasm. Together we showed what our University is capable of. Today we can celebrate this success together!’, says Rector Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein.
“What a great success for our University! We are absolutely thrilled to receive this distinction. It is the result of a monumental collective effort.“
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein
Rector, University of Freiburg
Convinced by an ambitious institutional strategy
The University of Freiburg convinced the Excellence Commission with its proposal ‘The Future Research University: Sparking Change That Matters’. It is closely linked with the vision ‘UFR 2040’, the University’s strategic compass for the coming 15 years.
The vision is ambitious: Freiburg will create new opportunities for outstanding research, combine disciplines, and bring people with different perspectives together. The University will strengthen teaching that qualifies students to help shape the future and technology transfer that carries research findings more quickly into society, industry, and politics. The Excellence funding gives the University the opportunity to play a key role in advancing this development and to further expand its academic strengths on the international stage.
“We have big plans for our University. With the Excellence funding, we will break new ground in research, attract outstanding talent from around the world to Freiburg, and pursue our vision UFR 2040 with all of our energy.“
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein
Rector, University of Freiburg
‘We have big plans for our University. With the Excellence funding, we will break new ground in research, attract outstanding talent from around the world to Freiburg, and pursue our vision UFR 2040 with all of our energy. Our goal is not just to provide answers to the big questions of our time but to spark concrete changes with our insights – for climate protection, for medical progress, and for a strong democracy. We want to engage in research that makes a difference’, says Krieglstein.
In addition to the University of Freiburg, the Excellence Commission also selected the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the University of Cologne, the Rhine-Main Universities (Technical University of Darmstadt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) and the Ruhr Innovation Lab (Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University) from a total of eleven proposals. The funding amount per year is between 10 and 15 million euros for individual universities or between 15 and 28 million euros for university consortia. The funding is open-ended but remains contingent on two existing Clusters of Excellence and the positive outcome of regular evaluations.
“This success in the Excellence Strategy shows that Baden-Württemberg is strong across the board and combines international prestige with outstanding achievements in research, teaching, and transfer.“
Petra Olschowski
Minister of Science, Research and Arts for the State of Baden-Württemberg
‘Congratulations to the University of Freiburg and to everyone who contributed to the successful proposal! Freiburg seized this historic opportunity and prevailed in an extremely competitive field to secure the remaining funding slots. With four of a total of 15 Universities of Excellence, Baden-Württemberg remains in first place nationally. That is a testament to academic excellence and underscores our exceptional strength as a centre for science and research. This success in the Excellence Strategy shows that Baden-Württemberg is strong across the board and combines international prestige with outstanding achievements in research, teaching, and transfer. However, we will not rest on our laurels but will use this success as an incentive to continue building on our strengths and profiles’, says Petra Olschowski, Minister of Science, Research and Arts for the State of Baden-Württemberg.
‘From the University Council’s perspective, today’s decision is a sign of great recognition for the University of Freiburg’s development in recent years. During the on-site visit, it was impressive to see how academic excellence, a clear vision for the future, and close collaboration with partners in the region and the world all work together. The Excellence title now opens up new opportunities for the University – yet also brings with it the responsibility to leverage this strength for its further development’, says Prof. Dr. Holger Reinecke, chair of the University Council of the University of Freiburg.
“The Excellence title now opens up new opportunities for the University – yet also brings with it the responsibility to leverage this strength for its further development.“
Prof. Dr. Holger Reinecke
Chair of the University Council, University of Freiburg
Funding for 15 Universities and University Consortia of Excellence
Through the Universities of Excellence funding line, the federal and state governments provide institutional support to universities and help them expand their leading international position in research. Eligibility to apply for the title of University of Excellence is contingent on the approval of at least two Clusters of Excellence.
The University of Freiburg provides a strong foundation in this regard, with two Clusters of Excellence receiving funding in the 2026–2032 funding period: CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies and Future Forests – Adapting Complex Social-ecological Forest Systems to Global Change.
For Freiburg, this distinction also marks a return to the funding line: The University was already designated as a University of Excellence from 2007 to 2012. With this reinstatement of the Excellence title, it will once again receive long-term institutional funding to advance its strategic development.