The University at a glance
The University of Freiburg is one of Germany’s leading research universities, which offers outstanding teaching and is fully committed to promoting the transfer of knowledge, technology and education to society. It regularly achieves top positions in prestigious rankings. In the Germany-wide comparison of the Shanghai Ranking, for example, it is ranked fifth and is listed among the 101–150 best universities worldwide.
Its wide range of subjects combines in-depth academic excellence with interdisciplinary strength. Researchers from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and university medicine work together to find new solutions and answers to the pressing issues and challenges of our time.
The University of Freiburg is also one of the oldest universities in Germany. Since its foundation in 1457, it has stood for academic quality, openness, the ability to constantly reinvent itself, and a willingness to reflect on its actions and demonstrate its significance to society. This is made possible by the people who are part of its community: they contribute knowledge, ideas and values from different countries and cultures, enrich the academic tradition, carry it forward and shape a diverse and responsible community of learning, teaching and research.
The University of Freiburg also promotes strong collaboration beyond the campus. Together with the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, the Max Planck and Fraunhofer Institutes, and partners from the city and region, business, politics and culture, the University of Freiburg forms one of Europe’s strongest research and knowledge transfer ecosystems. Within this network, it contributes its knowledge and works together with others to strengthen participation and cohesion, promote innovation for the benefit of society, and secure the livelihood of future generations.
Facts and figures
240
Degree programmes
24500
Students
440
Full professorships
23
Nobel Prize winners are affiliated with UFR
219 mio.
Third party funding in 2023
16
ERC-Grants between 2019 and 2023
Future-focused
The University of Freiburg is currently strengthening its future resilience through two initiatives: its Vision “UFR 2040” and its participation in the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments.
History of the University
Founded in 1457, the University of Freiburg is one of the oldest universities in Germany. You can find an overview of its eventful history here.
Research in Freiburg
The University of Freiburg is one of Europe’s strongest research universities. Thanks to its broad spectrum of academic fields, the University of Freiburg has great potential for innovative fundamental research – both at the core of individual disciplines and in collaborative interdisciplinary research.
The University of Freiburg’s outstanding quality in research is regularly reflected in various national and international higher education rankings as well as in awards for researchers at the University of Freiburg.
In the current DFG Atlas, the University of Freiburg ranks ninth among German universities in terms of the acquisition of third-party funding from the German Research Foundation. After adjustment by research field and size of institution, the University of Freiburg ranks third among all German universities.
Studying at the University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg currently has around 24,500 students. The University offers a broad interdisciplinary spectrum of high-quality research and teaching with its eleven faculties and around 240 degree programmes, as well as 453 full and 28 junior professorships.
Transfer
We make the results of our research and work accessible to society – and always also incorporate societal insights into our scientific work. All of this is done with the aim of strengthening knowledge-based decision-making and contributing to the resolution of the major challenges of our time. Here you can learn more about our knowledge transfer activities.