University of Freiburg

Overview

The University of Freiburg, officially named Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is considered as one of the oldest universities in Germany. As a research-intensive institution, it enjoys high academic reputation not only within the country but also globally. The 2019 World Universities Ranking of Times Higher Education, for example, ranked the university among the top 100 universities worldwide.

In the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the University of Freiburg places among the top 150 universities for being one of the leaders in the field of environment sciences and sustainability. Furthermore, the QS World Ranking University ranks the University of Freiburg as one of the 10 best academic institutions for higher education in Germany. On a national scale, the University of Freiburg is recognized as one of the leading universities honored in the Excellence Initiative for its research capabilities.

The university’s long and colorful history of academic excellence has revolved around various fields of study such as the liberal arts, medicine, chemistry, and others. The University of Freiburg is a proud member of the League of European Research Universities and the German U15—an exclusive association of Germany’s 15 universities known for medical research.

Years of dedication to medical and scientific research has earned the university multiple Nobel Prize awards. Among these awards were for outstanding discoveries in medical or physiology, chemistry, economic science, and physics. The first Nobel Prize was awarded to Paul Elrich in 1908 for his contributions to the study of immunology along with Ilya Mechnikov. In 2008, Harald zur Hausen became the university’s 13th Nobel Laureate for discovering papillomaviruses’s role in the development of cervical cancer. Currently, the University of Freiburg has 11 faculties under which are offered the core areas of study in environment and natural resources, chemistry and pharmacy, medicine, economics and behavioral sciences, biology, and more.

Tracing its history, the University of Freiburg goes as far back as the 15th century. It was first established as a comprehensive university called Albertina founded in Freiburg Cathedral in 1457. The early years of teaching catered exclusively to male students and revolved around theology, law, medicine, and philosophy. It was not until 1900 when the university began accepting women and became the first university in Germany to do so.

As one of the leading universities in the 21st century, the University of Freiburg aims to continue its dedication to interdisciplinary research studies, which is further reinforced by establishing partnerships with organizations outside the academic realm.