02/12/2025
Two awards for Nikolaus Pfanner for his findings on cellular powerhouses
For his contribution to understanding the origin and structure of cellular powerhouses, Nikolaus Pfanner was admitted to the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy’s national academy of sciences. He has also been awarded the Walter Neupert Medal.
13/11/2025
Top funding for research on memory traces
Freiburg neuroscientist Prof. Dr. Marlene Bartos has been awarded a Reinhart Koselleck Project Grant for particularly innovative research projects worth €1.25 million.
Nine Freiburg scientists have been named Highly Cited Researchers 2025
Nine scientists from the University of Freiburg have been named Highly Cited Researchers 2025 in the ranking of the same name. They are among the authors who have been cited most frequently worldwide in their fields of research over the past eleven years.
12/11/2025
Newly appointed: Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Klooster
Jacqueline Klooster has been Professor of Greek Studies at the Department of Greek and Latin Philology at the University of Freiburg since October 2025. In this interview, she explains why ancient texts are both foreign and familiar to us, what we can learn from them, how important openness and careful reading are.
06/11/2025
Career paths in science in Freiburg: permanent positions alongside professorships
The University of Freiburg aims to make academic career paths sustainable and create permanent career options beyond the professorship. On 22 October 2025, the Senate passed a statement of voluntary commitment that shows how this can be realized at our University.
Four ERC Synergy Grants for University of Freiburg Researchers
University of Freiburg researchers are involved in four funded projects. The University will receive a total of more than nine million euros. The recipients of the grants are studying highly efficient solar cells, self-cleaning in body cells, the combination of diagnostics and therapy for cancer, and early medieval European communities.
05/11/2025
Artificial Intelligence – Rethinking what thinking is
For Tobias Rees, AI represents a seismic shift for Europe’s philosophical project. However, this disruption also presents an opportunity to rethink thinking, according to a central thesis of his lecture at the FRIAS. Rector Krieglstein sees this as a mandate for the university to help shape this disruption.
30/10/2025
Success in the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2025 Open Edition
In the research area of biomedical and health sciences, the University of Freiburg ranks sixth in terms of total publications. In the research area of life and earth sciences, it is listed in tenth place.
29/10/2025
Sustainable chemistry with the help of Artificial Intelligence
Freiburg-based chemist Dr Tobias Schnitzer is receiving €1.5 million from the Vector Foundation to develop sustainable amidation reactions. These reactions do not require toxic reagents and are highly energy-efficient.
28/10/2025
Welcome Prof. Dr. Manuel Voelkle, Professor for Evaluation at the Department of Psychology
Prof. Dr. Manuel Voelkle has been Professor of Evaluation at the Department of Psychology since October 2025. In this interview, he discusses how quantitative methods and statistical models relate to human experience and behaviour, what interests him outside of his research, and what he is particularly looking forward to in Freiburg and the surrounding region.
23/10/2025
Freiburg coordinates national early warning system on animal influenza viruses
Federal government awards 3.5 million euros in funding to the collaborative research project FLU-PREP / researchers are developing methods to identify the pandemic potential of new viruses at an early stage
23/102025
Volunteering in conflict areas
Michael Schumacher is jointly responsible for the emergency power supply at the University of Freiburg and volunteers for the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). His assignments have taken him as far as Africa. Both the THW and the University benefit from his technological expertise.
Entanglement shapes attosecond photoionisation dynamics in CO₂
The Attosecond and Strong Field Physics group shows that ion polarisation and electron–ion entanglement shift photoelectron emission timing—key for reliable interpretation of ultrafast molecular experiments.
22/10/2025
Providing guidance in times of change
At the start of the 2025/2026 academic year, the University of Freiburg is focusing on the role of universities and their capacity for renewal.
21/10/2025
Welcome: Prof. Dr. Martin Daumiller, Professor for Educational Psychology
Prof. Dr. Martin Daumiller was appointed to the Professorship of Educational Psychology on 1 September 2025. In our interview, he provides insight into his research on the topics of learning and motivation, says what inspires him about working with students, and reveals what social issues he’s concerned about personally.
20/10/2025
The United States under Trump: “We are dealing with the beginnings of a dictatorship here.”
As an American studies scholar, Prof. Dr. Sieglinde Lemke analyses current cultural and political developments in the USA with a particular focus on queer studies. In this interview, she talks about Donald Trump’s policies against the LGBTQIA+ community and explains how these are linked to a growing authoritarian trend in the USA.
17/10/2025
Saturday University: Science for all
When the foyer of Collegiate Building I at the University of Freiburg hums with a flurry of activity and people of all ages – from students, professionals and pensioners — fill the lecture hall on Saturday morning, it’s a sure sign of “Saturday University”. It is a well-established programme that has been open to the public over 36 semesters, an illustration of how the University has become a true beacon of knowledge transfer.
16/10/2025
‘AI National Park’ – digital innovations for environmental protection and nature conservation
Researchers in Freiburg are participating in the “AI National Park” project and installing Germany’s first AI-driven monitoring system comprising camera traps, audio loggers and climate loggers in German national parks and wilderness areas.
14/10/2025
First-Year Student Day 2025: Festive start into the semester for new students
The University of Freiburg welcomed its new students to the 2025 Freshers’ Day at SC Freiburg’s Europa-Park Stadium.
Academy on questions of the ‘good life’
The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) is establishing a new platform for highly qualified postdocs with the Young Academy for Cultures and Societies Research (YAC). Over the next three years, ten researchers from Freiburg and around the world will devote themselves to the topic of “The Good Life – What Makes a Good Society”.
10/10/2025
THE World University Rankings 2026: University of Freiburg in 12th place nationally
In the 2026 edition of the THE World University Rankings, the University of Freiburg placed 12th out of 55 German institutions. Internationally, it is again ranked among the best 150 universities.
08/10/2025
New CRIION Professorship for Bioinformatics strengthens oncology research in Freiburg with Artificial Intelligence
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Maria Kalweit will develop and use methods of machine learning and bioinformatics to enable novel, data-driven diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic options in oncology and haematology with six years of funding.
Human remains return home
Universities of Göttingen and Freiburg hand over ancestral remains from their collections to the Republic of the Marshall Islands
06/10/2025
3D imaging points to possible cause of sudden cardiac death
An imaging technique developed by Freiburg researchers provides insights into cardiac arrhythmias that can cause sudden cardiac death in animal models. The changes discovered could explain why even seemingly healthy people are sometimes affected.
“We support students and prospective students at the University of Freiburg.”
Starting your studies, learning strategies, mental health: The Service Center Studium (SCS) is the central point of contact for students and prospective students. In this interview, Kari Reulecke and Friedrich Arndt talk about the wide range of advisory services on offer, common topics, and why doubts about studying can be helpful.
01/10/2025
Simon Elsässer is the new Endowed Professor for Synthetic Biology at the University of Freiburg
Elsässer strengthens the ‘Signals of Life’ research focus as well as the CIBSS Cluster of Excellence at the University of Freiburg. The foundation Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung is providing the professorship with a total of 4.8 million euros in funding over ten years. The funded project will shed light on epigenetic mechanisms in humans.
Dr Alejandra López becomes CIO and head of the University of Freiburg’s Computer Centre
Dr Alejandra López has been head of the University of Freiburg’s computer centre since July. On 1 October 2025, she will also take on the role of Chief Information Officer (CIO). With her many years of experience in university IT, she is committed to the service-oriented development of central infrastructures and services.
