Seal element of the university of freiburg in the shape of a clover
Seal element of the university of freiburg in the shape of a clover
Text icon 'UFR' standing for University of Freiburg
  • FRIAS Building behind a tree
  • Situation in the FRIAS seminar room. Female person speaking
  • YAS Members having conversation in the FRIAS lounge
  • Two Researchers with microscope
  • FRIAS Building behind a tree
  • Situation in the FRIAS seminar room. Female person speaking
  • YAS Members having conversation in the FRIAS lounge
  • Two Researchers with microscope
  • FRIAS Building behind a tree
  • Situation in the FRIAS seminar room. Female person speaking
  • YAS Members having conversation in the FRIAS lounge
  • Two Researchers with microscope

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.

Sven Beckert in front of a book shelve

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.

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Forestry Researchers sits at a Computer

Call for Applications

Early Career Rescue Fellowship Programme

Researchers facing political constraints on their work in the USA can find support at Baden-Württemberg-based Institutes for Advanced Studies. FRIAS, the Tübingen based College of Fellows and the Zukunftskolleg Konstanz offer two-year fellowships for postdoctoral researchers. Application Deadline is 9 January 2026.

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Tobias Rees in a black coat giving a lecture

Artificial Intelligence

Rethinking what Thinking is

For the philosopher Tobias Rees, artificial intelligence represents a disruption of Europe’s philosophical project. However, this disruption also presents an opportunity to rethink thinking, according to a central thesis of his lecture at the University of Freiburg, which was organized by FRIAS.

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Tea Time in the FRIAS Lounge

Become a Fellow

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

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Get in touch

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

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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.

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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.

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Two Researchers with microscope
FRIAS Fellow in Library

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.

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chevron-right 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.

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Portrait Picture of Ingo Dachwitz

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

Life, death, and data: On AI-based decision-making for incapacitated patients

8 December 2025, 15:00-16:00

Georg Starke (Technical University of Munich)

FRIAS seminar room

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

GenMon Conference Poster

From Genes to Conservation: Building the European Genetic Monitoring network 

11 February – 13 February 2026

FRIAS Seminar Room

FRIAS Conference

News & Media

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

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

Unterstützung für Forschende in den USA

Neue Fellowships für Forschende unter politischem Druck

Bis zu 14 hochqualifizierte Wissenschaftler*innen in frühen Karrierephasen, die aufgrund ihrer Arbeit in den USA unter politischem Druck stehen, können ihre Forschung künftig an den Universitäten Freiburg, Tübingen und Konstanz fortsetzen. Das FRIAS hat die Initiative mitbegründet.

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Tobias Rees in a black coat giving a lecture

Artificial Intelligence

Rethinking what thinking is

For the philosopher Tobias Rees, artificial intelligence represents a disruption of Europe’s philosophical project. However, this disruption also presents an opportunity to rethink thinking, according to a central thesis of his lecture at the University of Freiburg, which was organized by FRIAS.

Read more
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‘

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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. He discusses the decline of neoliberalism and digital colonialism in an interview with DIE ZEIT (in german).

row of YAS members FRIAS Seminar room

Interested in our Funding Programmes?

Learn more about what we have to offer.

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