Future Agenda ‘UFR 2040’

Knowledge. Impact. Transformation.

The University of Freiburg is one of Germany’s leading research universities. Its diversity of disciplines brings together academic excellence and strong interdisciplinary collaboration. Researchers from the humanities, social sciences, natural and engineering sciences and the University Medical Centre work together to develop new solutions to the pressing challenges and questions of our time.

Since its founding in 1457, the University of Freiburg has stood for academic quality, openness, a lasting capacity for renewal and a commitment to reflecting on its actions and making its contribution to society visible. This is made possible by the people who make up its community: They bring knowledge, ideas and values from different countries and cultures, enrich and carry forward the University’s academic tradition, and shape a diverse and responsible community of learning, teaching and research.

Their combined efforts resonate far beyond the campus. Together with the University Medical Centre, the Max Planck and Fraunhofer Institutes and partners from the city and region of Freiburg as well as from industry, politics and culture, the University of Freiburg forms one of Europe’s most vibrant ecosystems for research and knowledge exchange. In this alliance, the University of Freiburg contributes its expertise and works with its partners to strengthen participation and social cohesion, foster innovation for the benefit of society, and safeguard the foundations of life for future generations.

From Freiburg to Europe and the world

What has taken root in Freiburg and its region, the University continues across national borders. As a co-founder of the EUCOR – The European Campus university alliance, it has been shaping cross-border academic cooperation in the trinational Upper Rhine metropolitan region for decades. Through the European University Alliance EPICUR and the League of European Research Universities (LERU), the University of Freiburg is connected to partner universities across Europe, helping to shape developments in European research, teaching and higher education policy.

Across the globe, it maintains partnerships with leading universities in North America, Asia, Australia and Africa. These partnerships are built on trust, academic excellence and a shared commitment to taking responsibility as a university in an interconnected world.

Future Agenda ‘UFR 2040’

This ethos also shapes the University of Freiburg’s outlook for the years ahead. With its Future Agenda ‘UFR 2040’, the University builds on its long-standing academic culture, combines it with long-term perspectives, and continues to evolve as an organisation. In an era characterised by profound ecological, technological and social transformation and uncertainty, the University maintains continuity while driving renewal – thereby safeguarding its capacity to respond effectively. Its history and institutional structures provide a strong foundation, while also calling for continuous critical reflection and a willingness to change. Its inter- and transdisciplinary research offers orientation; its teaching fosters critical thinking and self-reflection; and its knowledge transfer connects science, society and practice in a mutually enriching exchange.

The proposal submitted to the Excellence Strategy competition of the German Federal and State Governments – The Future Research University: Sparking Change That Matters – builds on this profile and aims to foster and accelerate the University’s further development. The University of Freiburg’s strategic course, however, is firmly set regardless of the competition’s outcome. It is rooted in the conviction that scientific insight and social responsibility must go hand in hand to shape the future and safeguard democratic culture, prosperity and quality of life.

A process that brings perspectives together

The University of Freiburg’s ‘UFR 2040’ Future Agenda brings together the main strands of its previous strategic work – including the Structural and Development Plan for 2024–2028, the formulation of its mission statement, the sharpening of its research profile, the European University initiative and the Excellence Strategy – and aligns them towards a shared strategic direction.

The Future Agenda is the result of a multi-year process that has drawn on experience, analysis and ideas from across the University. Researchers, teaching staff, administrative, service and technical staff – together with students – have discussed future-oriented topics in a variety of formats, developed measures and implemented projects.

Close collaboration with partners in the city and region, as well as with national, European and global academic networks, has complemented this process. The result is a shared framework that brings together diverse perspectives contributing to the University’s ongoing development. Implementation is continuously monitored, outcomes are reviewed and new developments are incorporated as they arise.

Silhoettes of students in Front of a window.

Transformation along five pathways

For the University of Freiburg, strategy means providing orientation, shaping its course with foresight and acting with purpose. The ‘UFR 2040’ Future Agenda sets out how the University will realise its vision step by step. Five strategic pathways indicate the direction of its development in research, teaching, knowledge transfer, university culture and governance. Together, these pathways illustrate how the University as a whole is evolving. They connect long-term perspectives with lived practice, build on existing strengths and further sharpen the University’s profile for the future.

Research that makes a difference

In its research, the University of Freiburg combines academic excellence with societal relevance – through interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships within European networks and beyond. It strengthens research by providing high-performance infrastructure, ensuring secure data management and promoting the responsible use of AI. Through strategic recruitment and attractive career paths such as the tenure track, the University attracts and supports outstanding talent from around the world.

Teaching that prepares students for tomorrow

Teaching at the University of Freiburg equips students with critical thinking skills, self-reflection and a sense of social responsibility – competencies that are firmly embedded in the curriculum and essential for navigating an increasingly complex future. The University supports its teaching staff in exploring innovative approaches, including digital formats that facilitate collaborative learning across borders. Through networks such as EPICUR and EUCOR, a European higher education area is emerging that offers joint degree programmes.

Transfer that fosters understanding

A university culture that connects and strengthens

The University of Freiburg regards change as a shared responsibility and fosters an environment characterised by participation, respect and belonging. Its leadership guidelines provide clarity and reliability across all areas of the University. The University promotes the well-being and resilience of its students and staff through flexible working models, advisory and conflict-resolution services and community-building initiatives.

Governance that enables change

The University of Freiburg embeds change within its governance structures. Flexible structures drive transformation across boundaries and promote interconnected development. To ensure that this transformation is both effective and lasting, the University supports the people and processes that sustain it through reliable career paths in academia and administration, and through a digitally agile administration that creates scope for innovation. Within the regional innovation ecosystem, its European alliances and beyond, the University continues to expand its partnerships, thereby safeguarding its capacity to act on strategic priorities.

Scheduled for publication in 2026

The ‘UFR 2040’ Future Agenda outlines the course the University of Freiburg is taking as it continues to evolve into a leading, globally connected and socially responsible university for the 21st century. It is currently being prepared for a broad audience and will be published here in 2026.