{"id":31990,"date":"2025-09-26T17:11:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T15:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/?p=31990"},"modified":"2025-09-30T13:44:40","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T11:44:40","slug":"a-beacon-in-our-strong-research-landscape-in-baden-wurttemberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/a-beacon-in-our-strong-research-landscape-in-baden-wurttemberg\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018A beacon in our strong research landscape in Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Freiburg, 25\/09\/2025<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a visit to the University of Freiburg, Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg\u2019s Minister of Science Petra Olschowski consulted with the University on its strategic further development. Rector Kerstin Krieglstein said: \u2018With our \u2018Vision 2040\u2019, we aim to organize our research, teaching, and transfer so that research findings provide orientation on the big global issues and lend fresh impetus for new solutions.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Minister of Science Petra Olschowski with Rector Kerstin Krieglstein during her visit to the University of Freiburg. Photo: Silvia Wolf \/ University of Freiburg<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\u2018Universities that excel at research and innovation are of paramount importance for our society. They play an instrumental role in seeking answers to the big questions of today and tomorrow. The University of Freiburg is an outstanding example of this \u2013 a beacon in our strong research landscape in Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg\u2019, said Petra Olschowski<\/strong>, Minister of Science, Research, and the Arts, during her visit to the University of Freiburg today. Olschowski consulted with the University leadership on the University\u2019s strategic development. Researchers, teachers, and students gave the minister insights into thematic priorities on a guided tour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\u201cUniversities that excel at research and innovation are of paramount importance for our society. They play an instrumental role in seeking answers to the big questions of today and tomorrow. The University of Freiburg is an outstanding example of this \u2013 a beacon in our strong research landscape in Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg.\u201c\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\tPetra Olschowski\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\tMinister of Science, Research and Arts\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\u2018With our overall strategy \u201cVision 2040\u201d, we are pursuing the goal of organizing our research, teaching, and transfer so that research findings provide orientation on the big global issues and lend fresh impetus for new solutions. To this end, we also aim to put the University in a position to develop dynamically and take on an even more active role in shaping developments in society, industry, and politics\u2019, emphasized Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein<\/strong>, Rector of the University of Freiburg. \u2018Our current proposal in the Excellence Strategy gives us new momentum for this endeavour.\u2019 The University of Freiburg will publish its \u2018Vision 2040\u2019 in the context of its proposal for the second funding line of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments. The funding line decides on whether the University achieves the status of \u2018University of Excellence\u2019. The University of Freiburg will submit its proposal on 12 November 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\u201cWith our overall strategy \u201cVision 2040\u201d, we are pursuing the goal of organizing our research, teaching, and transfer so that research findings provide orientation on the big global issues and lend fresh impetus for new solutions. To this end, we also aim to put the University in a position to develop dynamically and take on an even more active role in shaping developments in society, industry, and politics.\u201c\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\tProf. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\tRector of the University of Freiburg\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Rector Krieglstein emphasizes: \u2018The Excellence Strategy is a key instrument for developing the University of Freiburg further as a place for scientific reinvigoration. This involves attracting outstanding researchers and supporting them in their development. Our special focus lies on providing reliable prospects for talented researchers at the early and middle stages of their careers. Just as important to us is strengthening our international cooperation and partnerships and extending our global networks. Our research excellence and innovative capacity, our unique range of disciplines, and our long academic tradition offer the basis for this.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state is committed to providing the University targeted support on its journey, stresses Minister Petra Olschowski: \u2018We\u2019re convinced that the University of Freiburg has good chances of succeeding in the competition with an outstanding proposal and a convincing review. As a University of Excellence, Freiburg can further enhance Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg\u2019s international visibility as a centre for science and research and provide a strong impetus for innovation, transfer, and the recruitment of excellent talent. That serves to make our state fit for the future.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the guided tour, researchers, teachers, and students introduced the minister to core topics for the University of Freiburg\u2019s future. The main focus was on questions that will define the orientation of research and teaching in the coming years, such as: How can students in the European higher education space benefit from joint teaching and prepare themselves for the demands of a complex job market? How can forests be made resistant to climate change and pests? How can researchers decipher the language of life, for example in order to develop novel immune therapies? And how can we make artificial intelligence responsible so that it serves humans?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Video: Minister of Science, Research and Arts Petra Olschowski visits the University of Freiburg<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Teaching with European perspectives<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Dr. Frieder Vogelmann<\/strong>, professor for epistemology und theory of science at the University College Freiburg (UCF), explained how international and interdisciplinary degree programmes open up new learning paths. With the UCF\u2019s \u2018Liberal Arts and Sciences\u2019 bachelor\u2019s degree programme and the European EPICUR network, Freiburg is developing models that have a part in shaping the European higher education space. The main emphasis is on training students in critical thinking to prepare them for complex global challenges beyond national and disciplinary boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting forests as a basis for our existence<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tenure track professor Dr. Kathrin Blumenstein<\/strong>, holder of Germany\u2019s first professorship for the pathology of trees, and her team showed how forests can be made more resistant to climate change and pests. Their research focuses on fungal pathogens and how they interact with different host species, as well as their effects on the health of forests. As members of the Cluster of Excellence Future Forests, approved for funding in May 2025, Blumenstein and her colleagues from environmental and forest sciences, biology, medicine, and philosophy are helping to develop scientifically grounded strategies for sustainable ecosystems \u2013 with the aim of protecting forests as a basis for our existence and that of future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the language of life<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tenure track professor Dr. Priscilla Briquez<\/strong>, oncoimmunologist, and plant scientist Dr. Elke Barbez<\/strong> presented their research foci. They include new approaches for therapies against cancer as well as breeds of plants designed to secure agricultural yields in the long term. Both of these researchers are members of the Cluster of Excellence CIBSS, which was extended for a second funding period in May 2025. They are working together with researchers from biomedicine, plant science, chemistry, data science, and ethics to decipher the foundations of biological communication and harness their innovative potential. The example of EMUNO Therapeutics<\/em> illustrated how their research can be transferred to practical applications: The CIBSS spin-off is developing novel medicines that can use the immune system of patients to fight cancers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responsible AI and robotics<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the Responsible Artificial Intelligence network, the jurist Prof. Dr. Silja V\u00f6neky<\/strong> and the computer scientist Prof. Dr. Joschka Boedecker<\/strong> are collaborating with colleagues from law, computer science, medicine, and philosophy to determine how artificial intelligence can be developed, regulated, and used responsibly and flexibly. One example they used to illustrate their work was a robot demonstration from the ReScaLe<\/em> project: The robot is a practical example of how AI-driven systems can support humans in everyday life. The main focus of the interdisciplinary work is on developing customized guardrails for technological innovations, thus making them fit for use by society.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The University of Freiburg was successful in the first funding line of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments with the two Clusters of Excellence \u2018CIBSS \u2013 Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies\u2019 and \u2018Future Forests \u2013 Adapting Complex Social-Ecological Forest Systems to Global Change\u2019. The University is therefore eligible to submit a proposal in the second funding line (\u2018Universities of Excellence\u2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University will submit its proposal on 12 November 2025, and the Excellence Commission will announce its decision on 2 October 2026. Successful Clusters of Excellence will receive three to ten million euros in annual funding; Universities of Excellence can receive an additional amount of up to 15 million euros per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\tContact\t<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\tUniversity and Science Communications\t<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\tUniversity of Freiburg
Tel.: +49 761 203 4302<\/a>
E-Mail: kommunikation@zv.uni-freiburg.de<\/a>\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018Universities that excel at research and innovation are of paramount importance for our society. They play an instrumental role in seeking answers to the big questions of today and tomorrow. The University of Freiburg is an outstanding example of this \u2013 a beacon in our strong research landscape in Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg\u2019, said Petra Olschowski, Minister of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":79,"featured_media":31999,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_trash_the_other_posts":false,"editor_notices":[],"_show_in_pageentry_slider":true,"_pageentry_slider_title":"Visit by Minister of Science Olschowski","footnotes":""},"categories":[28,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-excellence","category-university"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/61\/Olschowski_Krieglstein_Silvia-Wolf_bearbeitet1.jpg","featured_image_alt":"Portrait of two woman.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/79"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31990"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31990\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32052,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31990\/revisions\/32052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}