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.

Balzan-FRIAS Lecture

The Triumph of Fashion: A Global History

At the Balzan–FRIAS Lecture on 22 January 2026, Ulinka Rublack (University of Cambridge) will point out how fashion drove a global cultural change between 1100 and 1800. The talk challenges the idea of fashion as a European invention and shows how global influences helped create European fashion. It is open to all members of the University of Freiburg.

Freiburger Horizonte

Digitaler Kolonialismus. Wie Tech-Konzerne und Großmächte die Welt unter sich aufteilen

Wie verändert die Macht großer Technologie-Konzerne das Leben von Milliarden Menschen – und wer zahlt den Preis dafür? Darüber diskutiert der Kommunikationswissenschaftler und Journalist Ingo Dachwitz am 29. Januar an der Universität Freiburg.

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

Digitaler Kolonialismus: Wie Tech-Konzerne und Großmächte die Welt unter sich aufteilen – Buchvorstellung und Diskussion

29. Januar 2026, 19:00-20:30

HS1199, KG I

Freiburger Horizonte

Blick in den FRIAS Seminarraum aus dem Gang

FRIAS Colloquium

Explorations in Conflict Economics: Belief, Identity, and Strategic Violence

12 January 2026, 15:00-16:00

Tim Krieger

FRIAS seminar room

Balzan-FRIAS Lecture

The Triumph of Fashion: A Global History

22 January 2026, 16:15-18:00
Ulinka Rublack, Professor of Early Modern European History, University of Cambridge)
FRIAS seminar room

From Genes to Conservation: Building the European Genetic Monitoring network

11 February – 13 February 2026

FRIAS Seminar Room

FRIAS Conference

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

News & Media

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

All news

Publications

FRIAS Alumnus Sven Beckert releases Global History of Capitalism

With his new book, Harvard historian and FRIAS alumnus Sven Beckert presents a monumental work and a first-ever comprehensive history of capitalism on a global scale and across centuries. In 1,280 pages, he examines both the success story and the dark side of this influential economic system. Beckert maintains close ties with FRIAS.

Entrance to Harvard Universit as symbolic picture for the programme post docs under pressure FRIAS Uni Freiburg

Press Release

New Fellowships for Researchers under Political Pressure

Up to 14 highly qualified early career researchers who are under political pressure in the USA on account of their work can continue their research in Freiburg, Tübingen, and Konstanz. The programme will start in summer 2026. FRIAS has co-founded the initiative.

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

Max Trommsdorff (Project Group Member 2025/26) has published a review article in Nature Review Cleans Technology on the current scientific state of agrivoltaic cropping systems. This research ties in on his work with the Group Project Agrivoltaics at FRIAS.

Ina Kuhn (YAC Member 2025/28) erforscht die kulturellen Hintergründe der Abstinenz von Alkohol. In der Badischen Zeitung gibt sie sieben Ratschläge, wie ein Leben ohne Alkohol gelingen kann.

Sven Beckert (Marie S. Curie Fellow 2018/19) has published a book on the global history of capitalism, he worked on during his fellowship at FRIAS. It was widely discussed in German and international media and is regarded as groundbreaking within the scientific community.

Interested in our Funding Programmes?

Learn more about what we have to offer.

Funding Finder