Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies

Welcome to FRIAS!

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) is the University of Freiburg’s research college. It provides time, space, and funding for high-level research. FRIAS is dedicated to interdisciplinary research across a wide variety of topics and welcomes scholars from all countries and disciplines.

Portrait of Max Trommsdorff and Tim Krieger

Faces of FRIAS

Harvesting the Sun Twice: How Researchers in Freiburg Are Advancing Agrivoltaics

At the interface of the University of Freiburg and Fraunhofer ISE, economist Tim Krieger and photovoltaic researcher Max Trommsdorff bring together researchers from different disciplines to explore how farmland can produce both agricultural yields and renewable power.

Open early printed book displayed on a dark background, showing two facing pages. The left page features a detailed black-and-white woodcut illustration depicting a medieval scene with several figures gathered around a seated person, possibly during a ritual or medical procedure. The right page contains dense Gothic-style text with decorative initials, characteristic of early modern printed works.

Press Release

Forschung in Zeiten des Krieges: Tetiana Hoshko als VUIAS-Fellow am FRIAS

Mit der Historikerin Tetiana Hoshko begrüßt das FRIAS die erste Empfängerin des neuen VUIAS Fellowships.
Der Forschungsaufenthalt ist Teil einer internationalen Initiative zur Unterstützung ukrainischer Wissenschaftler:innen.

Call for Applications

FRIAS Conferences for Early Career Researchers

PhD candidates, postdocs, non-tenured researchers and junior professors from all disciplines at the University of Freiburg are invited to apply for our FRIAS conferences programme 2026/27. Each selected conference group will receive up to €14,000 and full organisational support to organize an international conference at FRIAS. Deadline is 27 February 2026.

Become a Fellow

Are you Postdoc or an established researcher? Explore your opportunities at FRIAS.

How to become a Fellow

Get in touch

How can we help? Find the right contact person for your specific inquiry.

YAS Members working in the FRIAS seminar room

About FRIAS

Founded in 2007, FRIAS is a central academic institution of the University of Freiburg, deeply integrated into the university’s structure. FRIAS fosters connections between the University of Freiburg and the global academic community, encouraging partnerships and research collaborations that enhance the university’s international presence. With its funding programmes, FRIAS provides a space and forum for scholars from diverse fields to research and collaborate, promoting new perspectives on critical scientific and societal challenges.

Learn about FRIAS

Funding

FRIAS offers time-limited research residencies in Freiburg, welcoming both established researchers and promising early-career scholars (with a minimum of a completed PhD) from all disciplines, based in Freiburg, Europe, and beyond. To support collaborative initiatives, FRIAS also funds group research projects that bring together interdisciplinary teams, encouraging innovative approaches to research topics and questions across all fields.

Research

Research at FRIAS is driven by funding programmes and is conducted on a temporary basis. Unrestricted by fixed themes or specific research fields, FRIAS is open to ideas from all academic disciplines. At its core are the individual research projects of FRIAS fellows, complemented by collaborative research group projects. Most recently, FRIAS launched the Freiburg Postdoctoral Academy, which focuses on supporting early-career researchers and is closely integrated with the University of Freiburg’s primary research areas.

Current Projects

Freiburg Postdoctoral Academy

Events

FRIAS offers a diverse selection of events and lecture series for Fellows, university members, and the wider public. Find your highlight and be part of it.

All events

What it takes to build and lead successful interdisciplinary research initiatives – FRIAS Workshop

26 February 2026
15:00-18:00
CRC 1597 Small Data

FRIAS seminar room

Hush!
Practicing Silence in Literature and Culture

15 April – 17 April 2026

FRIAS seminar room

FRIAS Conference

Blick in den FRIAS Seminarraum aus dem Gang

FRIAS Colloquium

Thomas Manganaro – University of Richmond

27 April 2026, 15:00-16:00

Thomas Manganaro

FRIAS seminar room

News & Media

Learn more about the latest stories and developments at FRIAS and discover our media library.

All news

Faces of FRIAS

Harvesting the Sun Twice: How Researchers in Freiburg Are Advancing Agrivoltaics

Press Release

Forschung in Zeiten des Krieges: Tetiana Hoshko als VUIAS-Fellow am FRIAS

Group pictures of the 10 members Young Academy for Cultures and Societies Research

Press Release

Zehn PostDocs erforschen an neuer Akademie Fragen des „guten Lebens“

Das FRIAS richtet mit der Young Academy for Cultures and Societies Research (YAC) eine neue Plattform für hochqualifizierte Postdocs ein. Bis 2028 widmen sich zehn Wissenschaftler:innen aus Freiburg und aus aller Welt dem Thema ‚The Good Life – What Makes a Good Society‘

Short News

FRIAS-Direktorin Barbara Di Ventura leitet ein grenzüberschreitendes Projekt für Upcycling-Prozesse in der industriellen Anwendung. Dafür wird sie mit Seed Money vom trinationalen Universitätsverbund Eucor – The European Campus gefördert.

Katharina Stein (YAC Member 2025/28) forscht im Rahmen der Young Academy for Cultures and Societies Research zum Thema „Das gute Leben – Was macht eine gute Gesellschaft aus?“. Im Podcast Doing Time, Talking Crime des Max-Planck-Instituts sprach sie über „Söldner 2.0: Wenn Staaten ihr Gewaltmonopol outsourcen“ und gab dem Völkerrechtsblog ein Interview zur Privatisierung von Krieg.

Tim Krieger (Rector’s Fellow 2025) erläutert in einem Beitrag in der Frankfurter Rundschau zusammen mit Christian Hagist und Stefan Seuffert, wie man Schulden vor dem Hintergrund der Generationengerechtigkeit konsequent bilanziert.

Interested in our Funding Programmes?

Learn more about what we have to offer.

Funding Finder