History
Founding
The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) was founded in late 2007 as part of the Excellence Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) and opened on May 5, 2008. Since then, FRIAS has been the international research college of the University of Freiburg. It aims to promote cutting-edge research and to encourage and strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation through guest residencies (fellowships) for outstanding international and national scientists. Since its founding, the institute has united the humanities, social sciences, medicine, law, natural and life sciences, and engineering under one roof.
2008 – 2013: The path to a renowned Institute for Advanced Studies
Four Schools of Excellence
From 2008 to 2013, FRIAS was divided into four schools covering the following thematic fields of research: History, Language & Literature, Life Sciences – LifeNet, and Soft Matter Research. Led by Prof. Dr. Werner Frick (Speaker, FRIAS Board of Directors) and Prof. Dr. Hermann Grabert (Vice Speaker), this structure was created to enhance outstanding research in the respective interdisciplinary fields. Since 2009, this initiative has been expanded to include an annual competition for interdisciplinary research groups at the University of Freiburg.
Gaining Reputation
The Hermann Staudinger Lectures were launched in 2008. Since then, to date, 30 Nobel Prize winners have been invited to Freiburg. In the first years after its founding, FRIAS built an excellent reputation, becoming a globally recognized flagship institution of the University of Freiburg. Thanks to its attractive and flexible fellowships and exceptional research conditions, it attracted renowned scientists from all over the world, who were able to pursue their projects in an inspiring, interdisciplinary environment. During this phase, more than 300 fellows from over 36 countries conducted research at FRIAS.
Establishing International Networks
Thanks to its international approach and close cooperation with other Institutes for Advanced Study (IAS) worldwide – through the UBIAS network, which it initiated in 2010, for example – FRIAS has established itself as one of the leading Institutes for Advanced Studies in Europe.
2013 – 2021: Reorganization and international cooperation
New Concept
After the University of Freiburg lost its status as part of the German government’s ‘Excellence Initiative’ in 2012, resulting in financial losses, the future of FRIAS was initially uncertain. However, a new concept ensured its continued existence: the state of Baden-Württemberg approved a three-year start-up grant in October 2014, supplemented by additional funding from the University of Freiburg. The aim was to reorganize FRIAS under these new conditions and to transform it from a temporary project into a permanent institution.
Significant Contributions
Prof. Dr. Bernd Kortmann, an English scholar, played a crucial role in the reorientation of FRIAS. In 2013, he took over the management of FRIAS, together with physicist Prof. Dr. Hermann Grabert. From 2015 to 2022, he also served as Speaker for a newly formed, three-member Directorate, which also included economist Prof. Dr. Günther Schulze for the social sciences, neuroscientist Prof. Marlene Bartos, and, from 2017, biologist Prof. Dr. Annegret Wilde for the natural sciences.
Expanding Third-Party Funding
With the successful acquisition of third-party funding and the establishment of new international collaborations since 2013, FRIAS has strengthened its position in the international research landscape, providing a boost to Freiburg’s status as a leading research location. Particularly noteworthy activities include:
Strengthening Local Activities
In addition to its international activities, FRIAS also expanded the range of opportunities for local researchers. Research focus groups (2014–2021) contributed to strengthening promising areas of research at the university. Project Groups and FRIAS Conferences provide early-career researchers with opportunities to bring interdisciplinary ideas and conference projects to life. The Freiburger Horizonte event series created a forum to encourage socio-political debate among the wider public. Finally, the Freiburg Research Collaboration Programme, established in 2020, allows Freiburg researchers to build closer networks with leading scientists worldwide.
Since 2021: Consolidation and strategic expansion
Becoming a Permanent Institution
As a result of this successful reorganization, FRIAS became a permanent institution in 2021, funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg and the University of Freiburg, and the new FRIAS statutes took effect. Since then, additional initiatives have also been successfully implemented:
Recent Developments
Following the end of the Directorate under Bernd Kortmann in 2022, classical archaeologist Prof. Dr. Ralf von den Hoff took over as Directorate Speaker. Biologist Prof. Dr. Barbara Di Ventura (natural sciences) and historian of science Prof. Dr. Veronika Lipphardt (social sciences) are now co-directors. Since then, the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation has extended its funding of the Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS). In addition to consolidating the personnel structure at FRIAS, there is an increased emphasis on expanding opportunities for early-career researchers based on the YAS model and opening up FRIAS fellowships to researchers from countries that have not been reached before.
History of the FRIAS Building
When FRIAS was founded, its four schools were housed in decentralized locations until 2010, when they were all brought together under one roof. The current FRIAS building was built in 1952 on the foundations of the Institute of Anatomy, which was destroyed during the war and served as the Faculty of Medicine’s institute building until it was renovated. The old anatomy lecture hall in the north wing, where the pathologist Ludwig Aschoff taught, is now used as a lecture room. The building’s architecture, reminiscent of the Bauhaus style, impresses with its spaciousness and clear design language, complemented by modern accents.