{{Short description|Public university in Berlin, Germany}} {{For|other universities|Free University (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox university | name = Free University of Berlin | native_name = Freie Universität Berlin | image = Seal of Free University of Berlin.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert | image_upright = .7 | caption = [[Seal (emblem)|Seal]] of the Free University of Berlin | motto = ''[[Veritas]], [[Justitia|Iustitia]], [[Libertas]]'' ([[Latin]]) | motto_lang = la | mottoeng = [[Truth]], [[Justice]], [[Liberty]] | established = {{start date and age|1948|12|04|df=yes}} | type = [[Public university|Public]] | coordinates = {{coord|52|27|11|N|13|17|26|E|region:DE-BE_type:edu|display=it}} | budget = [[EUR]] 648.8 million<ref name=report>{{cite web |url=https://www.berlin.de/sen/wissenschaft/service/leistungsberichte/fu_leistungsbericht_2022.pdf |title=Leistungsbericht über das Jahr 2022 |language=de |publisher=Senate Chancellery of Berlin |access-date=8 April 2024 |page=1 |archive-date=5 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405215911/https://www.berlin.de/sen/wissenschaft/service/leistungsberichte/fu_leistungsbericht_2022.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> | president = [[Günter M. Ziegler]] (2018–present) | students = 38,539 (2022)<ref name='fu_figures'>{{cite web|title=Overall Statistics|url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/studium/studienorganisation/immatrikulation/weitere-angebote/statistik/daten/WiSe-23_Gesamtstatistik.pdf|publisher=Freie Universität|access-date=5 May 2023|date=2 December 2022|archive-date=5 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505075247/https://www.fu-berlin.de/studium/studienorganisation/immatrikulation/weitere-angebote/statistik/daten/WiSe-23_Gesamtstatistik.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> | undergrad = 22,636 (2021)<ref name=report/> | postgrad = 9,938 (2021)<ref name=report/> | doctoral = 3,628 (2021)<ref name=report/> | academic_staff = 2,851<ref name=report/> | administrative_staff = 2,719<ref name=report/> | city = [[Berlin]] | country = Germany | campus = Suburban and urban ({{Convert|180|ha|acre}}) | colors = {{Color box|#000}} Black <br /> {{Color box|#CF0}} Green | affiliation = {{Plain list| * [[Charité|Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin]] * [[Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft|DFG]] * [[European University Association|EUA]] * [[German Excellence Universities]] * [[U15 (German Universities)|U15]] * [[Institutional Network of the Universities from the Capitals of Europe|UNICA]] * [[Una Europa]] }} | logo = Freie Universität Berlin Logo 05.2024.svg | website = {{URL|1=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en|2=www.fu-berlin.de}} | address = Kaiserswerther Straße 16–18 | native_name_lang = de }}

The '''Free University of Berlin'''{{efn|The university uses its German name without translation on its English-language website.}} ({{Langx|de|link=no|Freie Universität Berlin}}, often abbreviated as '''FU Berlin''' or simply '''FU''') is a [[public university|public]] [[research university]] in [[Berlin]], Germany. It was founded in [[West Berlin]] in 1948 during the early [[Cold War]] period. The Free University's name referred to West Berlin's status as part of the intellectual continuum of the Western "[[Free World]]" in contrast to Soviet-controlled [[East Berlin]]. Its main campus is located in [[Dahlem (Berlin)|Berlin-Dahlem]] in the [[Steglitz-Zehlendorf]] district.

One of the foremost universities in Germany, it is internationally renowned for research in the humanities, social sciences, and natural and life sciences. The Free University is one of thirteen leading German universities currently designated a "University of Excellence" according to the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]] (''Exzellenzinitiative''). It was the first Berlin university to be awarded this distinction and one of only six universities nationwide to be so recognised in all three consecutive rounds of the Excellence Initiative in 2006/2007, 2012 and 2019, most recently as a member of the [[Berlin University Alliance]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 February 2020 |title=Exzellenz |url=https://www.berlin.de/sen/wissenschaft/politik/exzellenz/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=www.berlin.de |language=de |archive-date=21 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421012457/https://www.berlin.de/sen/wissenschaft/politik/exzellenz/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[university rankings]], the FU Berlin is consistently ranked among the top 100 universitities globally and in the top five nationally.<ref>https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/forschung/kommunikation/erfolge/ranking/index.html</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2024-06-03 |date=2023-06-28 |language=de |title=QS-Rangliste 2024: Freie Universität Berlin als eine der vier besten deutschen Universitäten eingestuft |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/presse/informationen/fup/2023/fup_23_153-qs-ranking-2023/index.html}}<!-- auto-translated from German by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{citation|access-date=2024-06-03 |date=2014-10-02 |issn=2195-1349 |periodical=Der Spiegel |title=Beste Universitäte der Welt 2014 |url=https://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/beste-universitaete-der-welt-2014-fotostrecke-119617.html}}<!-- auto-translated from German by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2024-06-06 |date=2024-06-06 |language=de |title=Die besten Universitäten der Welt: So schneidet Berlin im Ranking ab |url=https://www.t-online.de/-/100421456}}<!-- auto-translated from German by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> In 2026, 16 subjects at the FU Berlin were ranked among the top 100 in a global ranking.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2026-04-07 |date=2026-03-31 |language=de |title=QS-Ranking by Subject 2026: Freie Universität Berlin überzeugt mit Spitzenplatzierungen |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/presse/informationen/fup/2026/fup_26_036-universitaetsranking-geisteswissenschaften-sozialwissenschaften/index.html}}<!-- auto-translated from German by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> According to the [[Alexander von Humboldt Foundation]], the university is the most frequently chosen study location in Germany for top international scientists and young academics.<ref>[https://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/politik/berlin-und-muenchen-am-attraktivsten-fuer-auslaendische-forscher-3187/ Berlin und München am attraktivsten für ausländische Forscher], Forschung & Lehre, abgerufen am 22. September 2021.</ref> Former and current staff include five [[Nobel laureates]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 February 2020 |title=Exzellenz |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/forschung/kommunikation/preise/nobel/index.html }}</ref> The FU Berlin has produced a total of 18 winners of the [[Leibniz Prize]] up to the year 2020.

==History== {{More citations needed section|date=May 2017}} The Free University of Berlin was established in [[West Berlin]] by faculty members and students on 4 December 1948. With American support, it was founded as the de facto [[West Berlin|Western]] continuation of the University of Berlin (before 1945 named the [[Humboldt University of Berlin|Friedrich Wilhelm University]]), which had reopened in 1946 in the [[Soviet sector of the divided city of Berlin|Soviet sector of Berlin]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=hupresse |title=Das moderne Original der Reformuniversität |url=https://www.hu-berlin.de/de/ueberblick/geschichte |access-date=30 June 2022 |website=Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin |language=de |archive-date=4 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704051601/https://www.hu-berlin.de/de/ueberblick/geschichte |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cichanowicz |first=Lily |date=20 November 2016 |title=A Brief History Of Berlin's Free University |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/germany/berlin/articles/a-brief-history-of-berlins-free-university/ |access-date=30 June 2022 |website=Culture Trip |archive-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630165441/https://theculturetrip.com/europe/germany/berlin/articles/a-brief-history-of-berlins-free-university/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1949, the University of Berlin, on its original site in [[East Berlin]], was renamed the [[Humboldt University of Berlin|Humboldt University]].

===Foundation (1948–2000)=== In January 1946, the formerly named Friedrich Wilhelm University, located in the [[Soviet sector of the divided city of Berlin|Soviet sector of Berlin]], was granted permission by the [[Soviet Military Administration in Germany]] (SMAD) to reopen as the University of Berlin. The university came under increased [[Communism|communist]] influence and repression, as it became a battlefield for the political disputes of the [[Post-war|postwar period]]. This led to protests by students critical of the prevailing system. Between 1945 and 1948, more than 18 students were brutally beaten and arrested or persecuted, and some were even executed by the [[NKVD|Soviet secret police (NKVD)]].<ref name="FUFounding1948">{{Cite web |title=Founding History • Freie Universität Berlin |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/universitaet/archiv/leitbegriffe/gruendungsgeschichte/index.html |access-date=1 September 2025 |publisher=Freie Universität Berlin}}</ref>

[[File:KWI f Chemie 1911.jpg|thumb|left|Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry in 1911. Today, the Hahn-Meitner building houses the Institute for Biochemistry, where [[nuclear fission]] was discovered.]]

At the end of 1947, students demanded a university free from political influence. The climax of the protests was reached on 23 April 1948: after three students were expelled from the university without a trial, about 2,000 students protested at the ''Hotel Esplanade''.<ref name='fu_chronik_begin' /> By the end of April, the governor of the [[United States Army]], [[Lucius D. Clay]], issued the order to legally examine the formation of a new university in the western sectors of Berlin. On 19 June 1948, the "preparatory committee for establishing a free university" consisting of politicians, professors, administrative staff members, and students, met. With a [[manifesto]] titled "Request for establishing a free university in Berlin", the committee appealed to the public for support.

The municipal authorities of Berlin granted the foundation of a free university and requested the opening for the coming 1948/49 [[Academic term|winter semester]]. Meanwhile, the students' committee in the [[German Democratic Republic]] protested against the formation; the [[GDR]] described the new university as the "so-called free university" in official documents until the [[fall of the Berlin Wall]].

[[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Fachbereich Rechtswissenschaft.jpg|thumbnail|The former Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology. Today, it houses the ''Department of Law''.]]

The [[council-manager government]] accepted the [[by-law]] on 4 November 1948. The by-law achieved prominence under its alias "the Berlin model": The university was founded as a [[statutory corporation]] (''Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts'') and was not directly subjected to the state, as it was controlled by a supervisory board consisting of six representatives of the state of Berlin, three representatives of the university, and students. This form was unique in Germany at that time, as the students had much more influence on the system than before. Until the 1970s, the involvement of the students in the committees was slowly cut back while adapting to the model of the Western German universities in order to be fully recognized as an equivalent university.

On 15 November 1948, the first lectures were held in the buildings of the [[Kaiser Wilhelm Society|Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science]]. The actual foundation took place on 4 December 1948 in the [[Titania Palace]], the film theater with the biggest hall available in the western sectors of Berlin. Attendants of the event were not only scientists, politicians (the [[Governing Mayor of Berlin|Governing Mayor]] [[Ernst Reuter]] amongst others) and students, but also representatives of American universities, among them [[Stanford University]] and [[Yale University]]. The first elected president of the Free University of Berlin was the historian [[Friedrich Meinecke]].

[[File:JFKBerlinSpeech.jpg|thumb|left|[[John F. Kennedy]], 1963: ''This school [...] must be interested in turning out citizens of the world, men who comprehend the difficult, sensitive tasks that lie before us as free men and women, and men who are willing to commit their energies to the advancement of a free society.''<ref>{{cite web|first=John F.|last=Kennedy|title=Remarks at Free University of West Berlin, 26 June 1963|url=http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-045-028.aspx|publisher=JFK Library and Museum|access-date=11 September 2013|archive-date=7 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607002028/http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-045-028.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>]]

By 1949, the Free University had registered 4,946 students. Until the construction of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1961, many students came from the Soviet sector, often supported through the ''Währungsstipendium'' of the senate.

On 26 June 1963, the same day he delivered his ''[[Ich bin ein Berliner]]'' speech at [[Rathaus Schöneberg]], [[John F. Kennedy]] was awarded [[honorary citizen]] status by the Free University and gave a ceremonial speech in front of the [[Henry Ford]] building, in which he addressed the future of Berlin and Germany under the consideration of the motto of the FU.<ref>[[Andreas Daum]], ''Kennedy in Berlin''. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008, pp. 156‒61.</ref> Amongst the attendant crowd are also the [[Governing Mayor of Berlin|Governing Mayor of West Berlin]], [[Willy Brandt]], and the [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor of West Germany]], [[Konrad Adenauer]].<ref name='fu_chronik_begin'>{{cite web|title=Die Zeit nach dem Mauerbau und die Studentenbewegung|url=http://web.fu-berlin.de/chronik/chronik_1961-1969.html|publisher=Freie Universität|access-date=11 September 2013|archive-date=3 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503222123/http://web.fu-berlin.de/chronik/chronik_1961-1969.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His brother, [[Robert F. Kennedy]], visited the university in 1962<ref>{{cite web|last=Kennedy|first=Robert F.|title=Address by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy|url=https://www.justice.gov/ag/rfkspeeches/1962/02-22-1962b.pdf|publisher=US Department of Justice|access-date=11 September 2013|archive-date=3 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303075157/http://www.justice.gov/ag/rfkspeeches/1962/02-22-1962b.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> for the first time and in June 1964 to receive his honorary degree from the ''Department of Philosophy''.<ref name="KennedySpeech1963">{{Cite web |title=John F. Kennedy at Freie Universität Berlin – homepage |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/kennedy/index.html |access-date=1 September 2025 |publisher=Freie Universität Berlin}}</ref> The speech he held at the event was dedicated to [[John F. Kennedy]], who was [[Assassination of John F. Kennedy|assassinated]] the year before.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kennedy|first=Robert F.|title=The President John F. Kennedy Lecture|url=https://www.justice.gov/ag/rfkspeeches/1964/06-26-1964b.pdf|publisher=US Department of Justice|access-date=11 September 2013|archive-date=3 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303075535/http://www.justice.gov/ag/rfkspeeches/1964/06-26-1964b.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> [[File:Freie Universität - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The "[[Henry Ford]]" building]] In the late 1960s, the Free University of Berlin was one of the main scenes of the [[German student movement|West German student movement of '68]], as a reaction to the global [[Protests of 1968|student protests]] during that time. Significant issues included better living standards and education at the university, the [[Vietnam War]], the presence of former [[Nazi Party]] members in the government as epitomized by the [[Hans Globke|Globke affair]], and continuing institutional authoritarianism. After the assassination of student [[Benno Ohnesorg]] and the attempt on the life of [[Rudi Dutschke]], protests quickly escalated to violence throughout West Germany. The events of the [[German student movement|68-movement]] provided the impulse for more openness, equality, and democracy in West German society.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kurlansky|first=Mark|title=1968: the year that rocked the world|publisher=[[Ballantine Books]]|year=2004|isbn=0-345-45581-9|edition=1st|location=New York|oclc=53929433}}</ref>

During the 1970s and the 1980s, the university became a ''Massenuniversität'' (''mass/mega university'') with 50,298 registered students in 1983. After [[German reunification|reunification]], the Free University of Berlin was the second-largest university in Germany (after [[LMU Munich]]) with 62,072 students in the winter term of 1991/92. Shortly thereafter, the [[senate of Berlin]] decided to drastically reduce enrollment until 2003, the number of students shrank to 43,885 in the winter term of 2002/03.

Since 2000, the Free University of Berlin has revamped itself. The university's research performance increased markedly with regard to the number of graduates, PhDs granted, and publications.

===Since 2000=== [[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Gebaeudekomplex Rost- und Silberlaube.jpg|thumb|240px|Main campus in Dahlem]]

Since 2003, the FU Berlin has been regrouping its research capacities into interdisciplinary research focus areas called clusters. Due to financial cutbacks and restructuring of medical schools in the same year, the medical institutions of the Free and Humboldt Universities of Berlin merged to create a joint department, the [[Charite|Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin]].

The year 2007 was another crucial year for the Free University of Berlin as it was the university with the most approved funding applications in the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]], and it is now one of nine elite German universities to receive funding for its future development strategy. In the same year, Free University of Berlin dedicated a monument to the founding students who were murdered during the protests. The university presents its Freedom Award to personalities who have made a special contribution toward the cause of freedom. The university received a total of 108 million euros from the Excellence Initiative for its approved projects between 2007 and 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 June 2012 |title=Exzellenzinitiative |url=http://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/inu/network-university/exzellenz-fub/index.html |access-date=26 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614072447/http://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/inu/network-university/exzellenz-fub/index.html |archive-date=14 June 2012 }}</ref>

Based on its founding tradition, the Free University of Berlin seal to this day bears the Latin terms for Truth, Justice, and Liberty. The designer of the seal was art historian and former president of the Free University of Berlin, [[Edwin Redslob]].

==Campuses==

===Campus Dahlem=== {{Unreferencedsect|date=August 2024}} [[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin (Berlin - Free University) - geo.hlipp.de - 35927.jpg|thumb|Main entry of the Campus Dahlem]] Most of the facilities of the Free University of Berlin are located in the residential garden district of [[Dahlem (Berlin)|Dahlem]] in southwestern Berlin. Around the beginning of the 20th century, Dahlem was established as a center for research of the highest caliber. Academic activity in Dahlem was supported by Friedrich Althoff, Ministerial Director in the [[Prussia]]n Ministry of Culture, who initially proposed the foundation of a "German [[University of Oxford|Oxford]]."

The first new buildings housed government science agencies and new research institutes of the University of Berlin. The [[Kaiser Wilhelm Society]] – forerunner of the present-day [[Max Planck Society]] – was founded in 1911 and established several institutes in [[Dahlem (Berlin)|Dahlem]].

[[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Campus - Blick von der Mensa 1 zum Henry-Ford-Bau.jpg|left|thumb|View of the southern Campus Dahlem from the canteen "Mensa I"]]

A dynamic group of researchers carried out pioneering research resulting in numerous Nobel Prizes. Since its foundation, the Free University of Berlin has been using buildings formerly belonging to the [[Kaiser Wilhelm Society]] and, in addition, has added numerous architecturally innovative buildings.

The Free University of Berlin's central campus consists of building ensembles within walking distance of each other (about a 1.5&nbsp;km radius). The planners oriented themselves along the type of campus found in the United States – a novelty in post-war Germany. The first independent structure to be completed on campus was the [[Henry Ford]] building, funded by the [[Ford Foundation]]. To that point, the university was housed in several older structures around the neighborhood, including the [[Otto Hahn]] building, which houses the ''Department of [[Biochemistry]]'' to this day. Thanks to further donations from the United States, the Free University of Berlin was able to construct several new central building complexes, including the Benjamin Franklin university clinic complex.

The largest single complex of university buildings is the ''Rost- und Silberlaube'', which translates roughly to the "Rust and Silver Lodges". This complex consists of a series of interlinked structures corresponding to either a deep bronze (hence, "rust") or shiny white ("silver") hue, surrounding a variety of leafy courtyards. It was complemented in 2005 by a new centerpiece, the brain-shaped [[Philological Library]], designed by British architect [[Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank|Lord Norman Foster]]. [[File:Gewaechshaus Botanischer Garten Berlin.jpg|thumbnail|Botanical Garden: Tropical Greenhouse]] With 43&nbsp;ha and around 22,000 species of plants, FU's [[Berlin Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum|Berlin Botanical Garden]] in nearby [[Lichterfelde West]] is one of the largest of its kind.

==== Transportation ==== The main campus in Dahlem is well connected to central Berlin by public transportation. The stations [[Dahlem-Dorf (Berlin U-Bahn)|Dahlem Dorf]] and [[Freie Universität (Thielplatz) (Berlin U-Bahn)|Freie Universität (Thielplatz)]] connect the university to the [[Berlin U-Bahn]] system's [[U3 (Berlin)|U3]] line. The [[Lichterfelde West]] station of the S1 line of the [[Berlin S-Bahn]] connects the university to [[Mitte (locality)|Berlin Mitte]].

===Geocampus Lankwitz=== The campus in [[Lankwitz]], formerly part of a teacher training college, is now home to the department of [[earth sciences]] and a part of the university archives. Until their move to Dahlem in 2008, the ''Institute for Media and Communication Studies'' was located there.

===Campus Düppel=== Most of the divisions of the ''Department of [[Veterinary Medicine]]'' are based in [[Berlin-Düppel|Düppel]]. It is 2&nbsp;km southwest of the main campus and consists of numerous clinics and institutes, amongst them a small animal clinic, a clinic for horses and an institute of [[poultry disease]]s.

===Campus Benjamin Franklin=== Since the formation of the FU in 1948, it has used public hospitals as part of the medical faculty. Between 1959 and 1969, the "Steglitz Clinic", located in [[Lichterfelde West]], about 3&nbsp;km southeast of Dahlem, was built with large financial support from the United States. The medical center became one of the biggest European medical establishments, unifying all institutes, clinics, and lecture halls. In honor of the support by the United States, the clinic was renamed "University Clinic Benjamin Franklin". In 1994, it consisted of 36 scientific institutes and 1,200 hospital beds. After the merger in 2003, it became part of the [[Charité|Charité medical school]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Campus Benjamin Franklin (CBF)|url=http://www.charite.de/en/charite/organization/locations/campus_benjamin_franklin_cbf/|publisher=Charité University Medicine Berlin|access-date=19 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218053820/http://www.charite.de/en/charite/organization/locations/campus_benjamin_franklin_cbf/|archive-date=18 December 2012}}</ref>

===Academic environment=== [[File:Dahlem Fritz-Haber-Institut-2.JPG|thumb|[[Fritz Haber Institute]]]] Today, the district of Dahlem is a hotspot for research and culture: Beside several institutes of the [[Max Planck Society]] (amongst others: The Max Planck Institute for Human Development (MPIB), the [[Max Planck Institute for the History of Science|MPI for the History of Science]], the [[Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics|MPI for Molecular Genetics]], the [[Fritz Haber Institute]] (FHI) working in the fields of molecular physics and physical chemistry and the archive of the MPG), the campus is home to the Zuse Institute Berlin as well as some federal institutions like the [[Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung|Federal Institute for Materials Research]] (BAM) and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).

The [[Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin|Berlin Geography Society]], founded in 1828, the ''Berlin University for Professional Studies,'' and the [[German Archeological Institute]] (DAI) are also located on the campus. In addition, Dahlem is an important location for the [[Berlin State Museums]] group, housing the [[Ethnological Museum of Berlin]] and the [[Museum of Asian Art]].

===Student Village=== {{Main|Schlachtensee Student Village}}

During the 1960s, a student village with 27 buildings was constructed near [[Schlachtensee (lake)]], serving as housing opportunities for students.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the Studentendorf Schlachtensee|url=http://www.studentendorf-berlin.com/index.php?id=154&L=1|publisher=Studentendorf Schlachtensee eG|access-date=10 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055232/http://www.studentendorf-berlin.com/index.php?id=154&L=1|archive-date=21 September 2013}}</ref>

===Libraries=== [[File:Interior of Phil Bib FU Berlin 2.jpg|thumb|upright|Interior of the [[Philological Library]] designed by [[Sir Norman Foster]]]] {{See also|Philological Library}}

With an inventory of 8.5 million volumes and over 25,000 [[Academic journal|journal]]s distributed in the central university library (UB)<ref>{{cite web|title=Universitätsbibliothek der FU|url=http://www.ub.fu-berlin.de/index.html|access-date=31 August 2013|publisher=University Library of Freie Universität|archive-date=25 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825085929/http://www.ub.fu-berlin.de/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and 49 specialized libraries of the institutes, the library system of the FU is the largest in Germany. Items published since 1990 are fully digitalized and accessible through an [[OPAC]]. The UB is granted the status of ''United Nations Depository Library'' and is linked to the global library system of the UN under the direction of the [[Dag Hammarskjöld Library]] in New York. The [[European Union]] also uses the UB as a ''European Documentation Center''. As part of the library of the UN and the EU, it contains all publications of the [[United Nations General Assembly|UN General Assembly]], the [[United Nations Security Council|UN Security Council]], the [[International Court of Justice]] as well as publications from the [[Council of Europe]] and the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]].

Although the UB is generally a [[lending library]], some smaller libraries of the departments are so called ''Präsenzbibliotheken'', where students are only able to read books or journals. Since 2005, the FU creates a new library with about 12,250 m<sup>2</sup> of usable space. It is planned to include all libraries of the [[natural science]] departments and the smaller institutes in the humanities (e.g. Egyptology). The projected costs are around 51 million [[euro]]s. Construction work started in March 2012 with plans on finishing at the end of 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zusammenführung der Kleinen Fächer im 3. BA Obstbaugelände und Neubau Naturwissenschaftliche Bibliothek|url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/abt-3/bauprojekte/aktuelle_projekte/zkf/index.html|publisher=Freie Universität Berlin|access-date=19 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918075121/http://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/abt-3/bauprojekte/aktuelle_projekte/zkf/index.html|archive-date=18 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Richtfest in der Fabeckstraße|url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/campusleben/campus/2013/130917_richtfest/index.html|publisher=Freie Universität Berlin|access-date=19 September 2013|date=17 September 2013|archive-date=21 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054016/http://www.fu-berlin.de/campusleben/campus/2013/130917_richtfest/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Organisation and governance== [[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Praesidialamt - ehemalige Alliierte Kommandantur Berlin.jpg|right|thumbnail|University president's office]] ===Administration=== The executive board consists of the president (Prof. Dr. [[Günter M. Ziegler]]), an executive vice president (Prof. Dr. Klaus Hoffmann-Holland) and three other vice presidents, as well as the Director of Administration and Finance (Dr.-Ing. Andrea Bör). There are also supporting offices for Public Affairs and the General Counsel for legal affairs. [[File:2005-02-05 Freie Universität Berlin - Treppenaufgang im Präsidialamt - mit Siegel an der Wand im 1 OG - unbearbeitet.jpg|thumb|Stairway to the president's office]]

There are currently eight central service institutions (ZE) of the FU: * [[Botanical Garden in Berlin|Botanical Garden Berlin and Botanical Museum Berlin]] * Center for Academic Advising, Career and [[Counselling]] Services * Center for [[Continuing Studies]] * Center for Recreational Sports * Center for the Promotion of Woman's and [[Gender Studies]] * [[Data center|Computing Services (ZEDAT)]] * [[Language|Language Center]] * [[Academic library]]

[[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Institut fuer Informatik.jpg|right|thumbnail|Institute of [[Computer Science]], Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science]]The '''ISQ''' ("Institut für Schulqualität der Länder Berlin und Brandenburg", ''Institute for Quality of Schools in Berlin and Brandenburg'') is an independent facility on the campus. It consults local schools and the senate to achieve and develop a high standard of school quality in Berlin and [[Brandenburg]] and closely cooperates with the ''Department of Education and Psychology'' of the FU.<ref>{{cite web|title=ISQ Berlin-Brandenburg|url=http://www.isq-bb.de/|publisher=ISQ Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.|access-date=13 September 2013|archive-date=1 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901013931/http://www.isq-bb.de/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The '''[[Collegium Musicum]]''' of Free University of Berlin was founded during the first semester in 1948/49. Under conductor Karl Forster, it merged with the [[Musical ensemble|ensemble]] of [[Technische Universität Berlin]] in 1954. Today, the [[Collegium Musicum]] has around 500 members from all fields of studies who spend their leisure time making music. It currently consists of five ensembles: a big [[choir]], a [[chamber choir]], two [[orchestra|symphony orchestras]], and a [[big band]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Collegium Musicum Berlin|url=http://www.collegium-musicum-berlin.de/|access-date=31 August 2013|publisher=Collegium Musicum|archive-date=25 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825034203/http://collegium-musicum-berlin.de/|url-status=live}}</ref> There are frequently events on which the Collegium Musicum plays, for instance on ceremonies.

===Structure=== With 12 [[Academic department|academic departments]] (''Fachbereiche'') and three interdisciplinary central institutes, the university can be seen as an ''universitas litterarum'' (a traditional university where studies in all basic sciences is possible).<ref>{{cite web|title=Departments of Freie Universität|url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/index.html|publisher=Freie Universität|access-date=2 September 2013|date=18 June 2011|archive-date=25 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825233624/http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the variety of subjects, apart from computer science, studies in the field of [[engineering]] can only be done at [[Technische Universität Berlin]] or [[Universities of Applied Sciences|universities of applied science]] ''(Fachhochschulen)''. {| class="wikitable" |+Academic Departments of Free University of Berlin !Department/School !Institutes/subunits |- |Department of [[Biology]], [[Chemistry]], [[Pharmacy]] | * Institute of Biology * Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry * Institute of Pharmacy<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/bio-chem-pharm/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151953/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/bio-chem-pharm/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of Earth Sciences | * Institute of Geographical Sciences * Institute of Geological Sciences * Institute of Meteorology<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Earth Sciences |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/geowiss/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151956/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/geowiss/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of History and [[Cultural Studies]] | * Friedrich Meinecke Institute of History * Art History * Ancient Studies * East Asia and the Middle East * Jewish Studies<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=History and Cultural Studies |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/gesch-kultur/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151954/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/gesch-kultur/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of Law | * [[Civil law (area)|Civil law]]/[[private law]] * [[Criminal law]] * [[Public law]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Law |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/jura/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151954/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/jura/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |School of Business and Economics | * Business Administration * Economics<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=School of Business and Economics |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/wiwiss/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=22 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240722181825/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/wiwiss/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of Mathematics and [[Computer Science]] | * Research * Institute of Mathematics * Institute of Computer Science<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Mathematics and Computer Science |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/mathe-inf/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=22 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240722181854/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/mathe-inf/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of Education and [[Psychology]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Department of Education and Psychology |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/ewiss-psy/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151952/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/ewiss-psy/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | * Education

* Psychology |- |Department of Philosophy and Humanities | * Institute of Philosophy * Institute of Greek and Latin Languages and Literatures * Peter Szondi Institute of Comparative Literature * Institute of German and Dutch Languages and Literatures * Institute of Romance Languages and Literatures * Institute of English Language and Literature * Institute of Theater Studies<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Philosophy and Humanities |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/phil-geist/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151955/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/phil-geist/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of [[Physics]] | * Institute of Experimental Physics * Institute of Theoretical Physics * Physics Education<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Physics |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/physik/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=22 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240722181901/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/physik/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of [[Political science|Political]] and [[Social Science]] | * [[Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science|Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science]] * Institute of Sociology * Institute for Media and Communication Studies * Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Political and Social Sciences |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/pol-soz/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151951/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/pol-soz/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Department of Veterinary Medicine | * Institute of Veterinary Anatomy * Institute of Veterinary Physiology * Institute of Veterinary Biochemistry * Institute of Animal Nutrition * Institute of Virology * Institute of Immunology * Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics * Institute of Food Safety and Hygiene * Institute for Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health * Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior, and Laboratory Animal Science * Institute of Veterinary Pathology * Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine * Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology * Institute of Poultry Diseases * Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics * Equine Clinic * Ruminant and Swine Clinic * Animal Reproduction Clinic * Small Animal Clinic<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=Veterinary Medicine |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/vetmed/index.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.fu-berlin.de |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709151950/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/vetmed/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |[[Medical School]] [[Charite|Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin]] | |} ===Interdisciplinary Central Institutes=== *[[John F. Kennedy-Institute for North American Studies|John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies]] *[[Institute for East European Studies]] *[[Institute for Latin American Studies]]

==Academics==

===Admissions=== [[File:Universitätsinstitut Königin-Luise-Str 12-16.jpg|right|thumbnail|Institute of [[plant physiology]] and [[microbiology]] – Dept. of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy]]With 33,000 applicants for the undergraduate programs ([[Bachelor's degree#Europe|Bachelor]]) in 2013, admissions at Free University of Berlin remain highly competitive as the university only offers about 4,300 places each year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/andrang-auf-unis-in-berlin-zehn-bewerbungen-auf-einen-studienplatz/8542532.html|title=Zehn Bewerbungen auf einen Studienplatz|access-date=20 August 2013|newspaper=Tagesspiegel|archive-date=31 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831092149/http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/andrang-auf-unis-in-berlin-zehn-bewerbungen-auf-einen-studienplatz/8542532.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the high numbers of applicants, most undergraduate programs at Free University of Berlin have limitations determined through the [[Numerus clausus|NC]].[[File:FU Berlin Wirtschaftswissenschaften während FCRC.JPG|right|thumb|School of Business and Economics]]In some cases (especially Medicine, Psychology and Political Science), the NC every year is as high as 1.0 (''see [[Academic grading in Germany|Grades in Germany]] and [[Abitur]]''). Critical applicants which just scored slightly below the NC can be invited to a selective interview or an entry exam, depending on the department/faculty. Applicants at [[Charité|Charité medical school]] who do not directly fulfill the NC-criteria have to pass an entry exam, which covers the basic fields of Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics in addition to passing a selective interview. Both results are then added to the [[Abitur]] grade. The final decision depends on the results of the competitors.

===Teaching and learning===

Free University of Berlin operates on a semester calendar where the winter term begins on 1 October and ends on 31 March. The exact same model can be found at almost every university in Germany. The time where lectures are being held varies each year, normally beginning around mid-October and ending as early as mid-February. Free University of Berlin offers a broad spectrum of subjects in over 190 degree programs. A speciality of the FU is the possibility to study a vast number of "small subjects" (e.g. [[theater studies|theater]] and [[film studies]], [[Egyptology]], [[Byzantine studies]], [[Jewish studies]], [[Turkology]], [[Sinology]], [[Communication studies]], [[Meteorology]], [[Bioinformatics]], [[Biochemistry]]) with a high level of specialization. Due to the [[Bologna process]], most of the undergraduate programs are now leading to the three-year [[Bachelor's degree]] with 180 [[European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System|ECTS]]. At Free University of Berlin, Bachelor programs are generally divided into three categories: a regular Bachelor called "Mono-Bachelor", a combined Bachelor ("Kombi-Bachelor") consisting of two fields of studies and a combined Bachelor with a teaching option. Besides the core subject(s), all students are required to complete a series of courses related to general professional skills (ABV). The old [[Diplom]] and [[Magister artium]] programs are still running, but do not accept new admissions anymore. In the fields of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, [[Dentistry]], Pharmacy and the law, students enroll in programs with ''[[Staatsexamen]]''. Free University of Berlin also offers a variety of graduate degrees, from the master's degree to [[doctoral degree]]s.[[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Physik 1.jpg|right|thumbnail|Institute of [[Theoretical Physics]] – Dept. of Physics]] [[File:120428-Steglitz-Grunewaldstr-35.JPG|right|thumb|Institute of [[Theatre studies]]]]

Apart from the regular [[Master's degree|Master]]'s programs, there are a variety of international programs taught in English, especially in the [[life science]]s.

[[File:Freie Universitaet Berlin - Silberlaube - Innenhof 2.jpg|thumb|One of the courtyards in the ''Silberlaube'']]

Free University of Berlin does not charge any tuition fees in the classical sense. Since 2003, public universities in Berlin introduced the model of semester contributions (''Semesterbeiträge''). It consists of an enrollment/re-registration fee, a contribution to the student union (''Studentenwerk''), a contribution for the student government and the fee for the semester ticket (public transportation pass) for the current semester. The fees for the semester ticket is defined by a contract with the local transportation company, the [[Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg]] and allows students to move freely in the ABC zones of Berlin. In the winter semester of 2013/14, students are required to pay €285.83 in total.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fees and Contributions|url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/studium/studienorganisation/bewerbung/formulare/rechtsgrundlagen.pdf|publisher=Freie Universität|access-date=2 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928014856/http://www.fu-berlin.de/studium/studienorganisation/bewerbung/formulare/rechtsgrundlagen.pdf|archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref> Since 2011, Free University of Berlin participates in the national "Germany Scholarship" program organized by the federal government, universities and numerous private companies. Highly talented and committed students can get €300 monthly.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

===Research=== In terms of external endowments by the [[Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft|DFG]], Free University of Berlin ranks third behind the [[RWTH Aachen University]] and [[LMU Munich]]. Between 2009 and 2013, 289 foreign guest researchers came to the university through [[fellow]]ships granted by the renowned [[Alexander von Humboldt Foundation]], making the FU the most popular destination for foreign researchers in Germany.<ref>{{cite web|title=Humboldt rankings 2014|url=http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/humboldt-rankings-2014.html|publisher=Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung|access-date=23 January 2015|archive-date=1 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201053920/http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/humboldt-rankings-2014.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the field of [[natural science]]s, research focuses on [[basic research]] with a strong emphasis on [[interdisciplinarity]], whereas research in the humanities focuses on the current economical, political and cultural development of society (transformation processes, effects of [[globalization]] and environmental politics). In the field of Earth sciences, the FU has contributed to various aeronautical missions, e.g. the [[Mars Express]] and the [[Cassini-Huygens]] to [[Saturn]].

Excluding the [[Charité]] medical school, which is co-administered by the university with the [[Humboldt University]], Free University of Berlin is currently the lead university for eight collaborative research centers of the [[German Research Foundation]] and also has five DFG research units. It is part of the [[Berlin University Alliance]].

====Interdisciplinary centers==== * [[Ancient World]] * Art and [[Aesthetics]] * Ecosystem Dynamics in Central Asia * Efficient [[Mathematical model]]ing * European Languages: Structures – Development – Comparison (ZEUS) * Historical [[Anthropology]] * [[Middle Ages]] – [[Renaissance]] – Early Modern Times * Research on Teaching and Learning * Social and Cultural History of the Middle East * Berlin Center for European Studies (BEST) * Berlin Center for Caspian Region Studies * The Center for Modern Greece (Centrum Modernes Griechenland/CeMoG)<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.cemog.fu-berlin.de/en/index.html|title = Center for Modern Greece (CeMoG)|date = 28 May 2011|access-date = 13 March 2020|archive-date = 24 September 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200924063640/https://www.cemog.fu-berlin.de/en/index.html|url-status = live}}</ref>

====Graduate schools==== * [[Berlin Mathematical School]] * Graduate School of North American Studies * Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies * Muslim Cultures and Societies * Berlin-Brandenburg School for Regenerative Therapies * Berlin School of Integrative Oncology * Graduate School of East Asian Studies

====Clusters of Excellence==== * Languages of Emotion * The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations * NeuroCure – Towards a Better Outcome of Neurological Disorders * Unifying Concepts in Catalysis (together with the TU Berlin, HU Berlin and the University of Potsdam)

As part of the ''MATHEON – Mathematics for Key Technologies'' research center<ref>{{cite web|title=DFG Research Center Matheon|url=http://www.matheon.de/index.asp?lang=en|publisher=TU Berlin, FU Berlin, HU Berlin|access-date=13 September 2013|archive-date=2 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502071458/http://www.matheon.de/index.asp?lang=en|url-status=live}}</ref> of the DFG, Free University of Berlin together with the [[TU Berlin]], [[HU Berlin]] and the [[Zuse Institute Berlin]] is working on mathematical modeling, simulation and optimization of real-world processes.

Twice every year, the "Dahlem Conferences" are held at Free University of Berlin. Over the course of one week, international renowned scientists and Nobel laureates come together and discuss current problems in all fields of studies.

The annual "Einstein Lectures Dahlem" hosted by the university and several external institutions since 2005 are dedicated to [[Albert Einstein]], who was the director of the [[Kaiser Wilhelm Institute]] of Physics for more than 15 years.{{cn|date=August 2024}} It is an colloquium which presents fields in science which were influenced by Einstein's thinking.

===Rankings=== {{Infobox Germany university rankings | QS = 88 | QS_N = 4 | QS_year = 2026 | QS_ref = <ref name="QS">{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings|title=QS World University Rankings 2026|access-date=25 April 2026|website=[[QS World University Rankings]]|archive-date=17 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917171555/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2024|url-status=live}}</ref> | THE = 113 | THE_N = 9 | THE_year = 2026 | THE_ref = <ref name="THE">{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2026/world-ranking|title=World University Rankings 2026|access-date=25 April 2026|website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]]|date=4 October 2022|archive-date=28 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928012900/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking|url-status=live}}</ref> |QS_change=Rise|THE_change=Fall}}

The 2024 British ''[[QS World University Rankings]]'' ranked the university 98th internationally and 4th in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|title=QS World University Rankings 2022|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2022|access-date=2 February 2022|website=Top Universities|language=en|archive-date=26 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226171359/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2022|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2024 [[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]], the university is ranked 102nd internationally and 9th in Germany.<ref name="THE"/> Because of an unresolved dispute over the counting of [[Nobel laureate]]s before the [[Second World War]] (both [[HU Berlin|Humboldt]] and Free University of Berlin claim to be the rightful successor of the University of Berlin), both do not appear in the ''[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]'' (''ARWU'') anymore. The last ''ARWU'', placed the FU at 83rd in the world in 2007.<ref>{{cite CiteSeerX |title=Academic Ranking of World Universities – Methodologies and Problems|citeseerx=10.1.1.126.3066}}</ref>

In the 2023 QS Subject Ranking, Free University of Berlin ranks first in Germany in English, modern languages, politics, and sociology.<ref name="QSSubject">{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2022|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022|date=23 March 2023|website=[[QS World University Rankings]]|access-date=2 August 2023|archive-date=26 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026155514/https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2022|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2023 THE Subject Ranking, Free University of Berlin ranks first in Germany in the social sciences.<ref name="THESubject">{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/by-subject|title=World University Rankings by subject|access-date=27 October 2022|website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]]|archive-date=1 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301164410/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/by-subject|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2022 ARWU Subject Ranking, Free University of Berlin ranks first in Germany in human biological sciences and pharmacy, while sharing the first place in biomedical engineering, law, and nursing.<ref name="ARWUSubject">{{cite web|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/gras/2022|title=ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022|website=[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]|access-date=2023-08-02|archive-date=15 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815125818/https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/gras/2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{col-begin}} {{col-break}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%; font-size: 90%" |+ [[QS World University Rankings|QS]] World University Rankings by Subject 2023<ref name="QSSubject" /> ! Subject !! Global !! National |- ! {{Left|Arts & Humanities}} ! data-sort-value="27" | {{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;27 ! data-sort-value="2" | {{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2 |- | Linguistics | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="4–10" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4–10}} |- | Theology, Divinity and Religious Studies | data-sort-value="51–100" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;51–100}} | data-sort-value="7–10" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;7–10}} |- | Archaeology | data-sort-value="17" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;17}} | data-sort-value="3" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;3}} |- | Classics and Ancient History | data-sort-value="20" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;20}} | data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;4}} |- | English Language and Literature | data-sort-value="43" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;43}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- | History | data-sort-value="28" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;28}} | data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;2}} |- | Modern Languages | data-sort-value="28" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;28}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- | Philosophy | data-sort-value="38" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;38}} | data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4}} |- ! {{Left|Engineering and Technology}} ! data-sort-value="310" | {{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;310 ! data-sort-value="13" | {{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;13 |- | Computer Science and Information Systems | data-sort-value="201–250" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;201–250}} | data-sort-value="9–12" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;9–12}} |- ! {{Left|Life Sciences & Medicine}} ! data-sort-value="201" | {{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;201 ! data-sort-value="12" | {{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;12 |- | Anatomy and Physiology | data-sort-value="51–100" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;51–100}} | data-sort-value="2–6" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;2–6}} |- | Biological Sciences | data-sort-value="80" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;80}} | data-sort-value="5" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;5}} |- | Pharmacy and Pharmacology | data-sort-value="77" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;77}} | data-sort-value="5" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;5}} |- | Psychology | data-sort-value="94" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;94}} | data-sort-value="3" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;3}} |- | Veterinary Science | data-sort-value="46" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;46}} | data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}} |- ! {{Left|Natural Sciences}} ! data-sort-value="104" | {{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;104 ! data-sort-value="8–9" | {{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;8–9 |- | Chemistry | data-sort-value="90" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;90}} | data-sort-value="7" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;7}} |- | Earth and Marine Sciences | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="7–13" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;7–13}} |- | Geography | data-sort-value="30" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;30}} | data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}} |- | Geology | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="7–13" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;7–13}} |- | Geophysics | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="7–13" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;7–13}} |- | Mathematics | data-sort-value="113" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;113}} | data-sort-value="5–6" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;5–6}} |- | Physics and Astronomy | data-sort-value="140" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;140}} | data-sort-value="12" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;12}} |- ! {{Left|Social Sciences & Management}} ! data-sort-value="106" | {{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;106 ! data-sort-value="3" | {{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;3 |- | Accounting and Finance | data-sort-value="201–250" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;201–250}} | data-sort-value="6–7" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;6–7}} |- | Anthropology | data-sort-value="32" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;32}} | data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;2}} |- | Business and Management Studies | data-sort-value="201–250" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;201–250}} | data-sort-value="5–8" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;5–8}} |- | Communication and Media Studies | data-sort-value="39" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;39}} | data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}} |- | Economics and Econometrics | data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;151–200}} | data-sort-value="5–8" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;5–8}} |- | Education and Training | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="2–5" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;2–5}} |- | Law and Legal Studies | data-sort-value="69" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;69}} | data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4}} |- | Politics | data-sort-value="20" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;20}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- | Social Policy and Administration | data-sort-value="51–100" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;51–100}} | data-sort-value="1–2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1–2}} |- | Sociology | data-sort-value="30" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;30}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- |} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%; font-size: 90%" |+ [[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|THE]] World University Rankings by Subject 2024<ref name="THESubject" /> ! Subject !! Global !! National |- | Arts & humanities | data-sort-value="32" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;32}} | data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4}} |- | Business & economics | data-sort-value="126–150" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;126–150}} | data-sort-value="5–6" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;5–6}} |- | Computer science | data-sort-value="176–200" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;176–200}} | data-sort-value="15–16" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;15–16}} |- | Education | data-sort-value="99" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;99}} | data-sort-value="5" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;5}} |- | Law | data-sort-value="77" | {{Center|1={{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;=77}} | data-sort-value="6" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;6}} |- | Life sciences | data-sort-value="82" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;82}} | data-sort-value="7" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;7}} |- | Physical sciences | data-sort-value="101–125" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;101–125}} | data-sort-value="10–11" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;10–11}} |- | Psychology | data-sort-value="74" | {{Center|1={{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;=74}} | data-sort-value="5" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;5}} |- | Social sciences | data-sort-value="36" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;36}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- |} {{col-break|gap=0.5em}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%; font-size: 90%" |+ [[Academic Ranking of World Universities|ARWU]] Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023<ref name="ARWUSubject" /> ! Subject !! Global !! National |- ! colspan="3" | Natural Sciences |- | Physics | data-sort-value="301–400" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;301–400}} | data-sort-value="24–28" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;24–28}} |- | Chemistry | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="5–9" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;5–9}} |- | Earth Sciences | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="5–10" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;5–10}} |- | Ecology | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="9–12" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;9–12}} |- | Atmospheric Science | data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}} | data-sort-value="13–22" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;13–22}} |- ! colspan="3" | Engineering |- | Biomedical Engineering | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="2–5" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;2–5}} |- | Computer Science & Engineering | data-sort-value="401–500" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;401–500}} | data-sort-value="11–16" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;11–16}} |- | Materials Science & Engineering | data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}} | data-sort-value="8–13" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;8–13}} |- | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;151–200}} | data-sort-value="6–7" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;6–7}} |- | Environmental Science & Engineering | data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}} | data-sort-value="7–12" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;7–12}} |- | Biotechnology | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="2–7" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;2–7}} |- ! colspan="3" | Life Sciences |- | Biological Sciences | data-sort-value="48" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;48}} | data-sort-value="3" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;3}} |- | Human Biological Sciences | data-sort-value="35" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;35}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- | Agricultural Sciences | data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}} | data-sort-value="9–15" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;9–15}} |- | Veterinary Sciences | data-sort-value="34" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;34}} | data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;2}} |- ! colspan="3" | Medical Sciences |- | Clinical Medicine | data-sort-value="48" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;48}} | data-sort-value="3" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;3}} |- | Public Health | data-sort-value="41" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;41}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- | Dentistry & Oral Sciences | data-sort-value="36" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;36}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- | Nursing | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="1–2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1–2}} |- | Medical Technology | data-sort-value="45" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;45}} | data-sort-value="6" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;6}} |- | Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences | data-sort-value="27" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;27}} | data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}} |- ! colspan="3" | Social Sciences |- | Economics | data-sort-value="301–400" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;301–400}} | data-sort-value="14–22" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;14–22}} |- | Statistics | data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;151–200}} | data-sort-value="7–11" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;7–11}} |- | Law | data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;151–200}} | data-sort-value="1–2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1–2}} |- | Political Sciences | data-sort-value="51–75" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;51–75}} | data-sort-value="3–4" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;3–4}} |- | Sociology | data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;151–200}} | data-sort-value="9–11" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;9–11}} |- | Education | data-sort-value="301–400" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;301–400}} | data-sort-value="6–18" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;6–18}} |- | Communication | data-sort-value="51–75" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;51–75}} | data-sort-value="4–6" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;4–6}} |- | Psychology | data-sort-value="76–100" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;76–100}} | data-sort-value="5–6" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;5–6}} |- | Business Administration | data-sort-value="301–400" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;301–400}} | data-sort-value="9–12" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;9–12}} |- | Management | data-sort-value="401–500" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;401–500}} | data-sort-value="14–21" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;14–21}} |- | Public Administration | data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}} | data-sort-value="4–6" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;4–6}} |- |} {{col-end}}

In 2020, the American ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' listed Free University of Berlin as the 111th best in the world, climbing five positions. Being among the 100 best in the world in 18 areas of 28 ranked.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/humboldt-universitat-zu-berlin-506698|title=Humboldt University of Berlin|website=usnews.com/|access-date=21 October 2020|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027073131/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/humboldt-universitat-zu-berlin-506698|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the German "ExcellenceRanking" of the CHE (''Center for Higher Education Development'') in 2013, Free University of Berlin ranks top in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Political science.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zeit Online Excellence Rankings|url=http://www.excellenceranking.org/eusid/EUSID?module=Ort&do=show&id=3|access-date=13 September 2013|work=Die Zeit|archive-date=13 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213202658/http://www.excellenceranking.org/eusid/EUSID?module=Ort&do=show&id=3|url-status=live}}</ref> In the CHE "SubjectRanking", Freie Universität has been evaluated as one of Germany's best universities in Earth sciences, [[Computer science]] and Philosophy and also ranks among the Top 5 in Psychology, [[English studies]] and Education.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2013 |title=Subjects Taught at Freie Universität Berlin Ranked Very High in the QS Ranking and the CHE University Ranking |url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/inu/international/cic/newsletter/201307/201307_QS_CHE.html |access-date=2 February 2022 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928014140/https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/inu/international/cic/newsletter/201307/201307_QS_CHE.html |archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref>

==Global partnerships== Free University of Berlin maintains wide-ranging international contacts with top universities and organizations which provide key impulses for research and teaching. In the 1950s, the Free University of Berlin had already established partnerships with leading universities in the United States such as the University of California System (including the [[University of California, Berkeley]], the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] and the [[University of California, Santa Cruz]]), the [[University of Chicago]], [[Cornell University]], [[Stanford University]] (which also has a small campus within the FU<ref>{{cite web|title=Bing Overseas Studies in Berlin|url=http://www.stanford.fu-berlin.de/index.html|publisher=Stanford and Freie Universität|access-date=11 September 2013|archive-date=24 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924093737/http://www.stanford.fu-berlin.de/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>), [[Duke University]], [[Princeton University]], [[Yale University]], and [[Columbia University]], as well as with [[Western Europe|Western European]] universities such as the [[University of Oxford]], the [[University of Cambridge]], [[University College London]], the [[University of Sussex]] and the {{lang|fr|[[École Normale Supérieure]]|italic=no}} in Paris.

The university is a founding member of the global educational center for the study of transnational law, the [[Centre for Transnational Legal Studies]] in London. First contacts with universities in Eastern Europe were made in the 1970s. In the 1990s, links were in particular extended to include growing numbers of institutions in Canada ([[McGill University]], [[University of Alberta]], [[York University]]), Eastern Europe, and the Far East (China: [[Peking University]], [[Fudan University]], [[Nanjing University]], [[Shanghai Jiao Tong University]]; Japan: [[University of Tokyo]], [[Kyoto University]], [[Nagoya University]], [[Waseda University]]; [[South Korea]]: [[Korea University]], [[Yonsei University]], [[Seoul National University]]). The newly established ''Centre for International Cooperation (CIC)'' concentrates on identifying new strategic partners for international projects.

Today, Free University of Berlin has established over 400 partnerships in five continents, many of them as part of the European [[ERASMUS]] program. Every year, about 600 visiting scientists contribute to the university teaching and research. For the grant programs in Germany, the Free University of Berlin is one of the first choices both for the [[ERASMUS]] and Tempus as well as for the Fulbright program and the international programs of the [[German Academic Exchange Service]] (DAAD).<ref>{{cite news|title=Germany top for foreign students|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12610268|publisher=BBC|access-date=11 September 2013|date=9 March 2011|archive-date=11 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911010700/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12610268|url-status=live}}</ref> An International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS) has been set up for international students offering (semi-)intensive German courses and numerous subject courses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS)|url=http://www.unica-network.eu/news/freie-universit%C3%A4t-berlin-international-summer-and-winter-university-fubis-0|publisher=UNICA Network|access-date=19 September 2013|archive-date=17 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117131512/http://www.unica-network.eu/news/freie-universit%C3%A4t-berlin-international-summer-and-winter-university-fubis-0|url-status=live}}</ref>

===International branch offices=== The Free University of Berlin operates foreign branch offices in New York City, [[Brussels]], Moscow, Beijing, [[Cairo]], São Paulo, and New Delhi. The foreign branch offices work to expand upon cooperation partnerships already existing with universities in the country.

In April 2005, the Free University of Berlin, in conjunction with [[LMU Munich]], opened a joint representative office in New York. This German University Alliance,<ref>{{cite web|title=German University Alliance|url=http://www.germanuniversities.org/|access-date=29 August 2013|publisher=German University Alliance|archive-date=21 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054136/http://www.germanuniversities.org/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> located in German House, the seat of the German Consulate General and the German UN Mission, represents the interests of the two universities in the United States and Canada and works to increase the exchange of students and scientists.

In addition, the Free University of Berlin, as the first German institution of higher education, founded an alumni and fundraising organization, the Friends of the Freie Universität Berlin (FFUB) in New York. Since 2003 this organization has maintained close contact with alumni and scientists of the Free University of Berlin in the U.S. and attempts to gain alumni and friends as sponsors, to strengthen the long-lasting trans-Atlantic relations. Some of the proceeds from these fundraising activities were contributed to the renovation of the Henry Ford Building.

In April 2006 [[Peking University]] opened its first branch in Germany. Its objectives include the promotion of knowledge of Chinese culture, the cultivation of Chinese-German cooperation, and the spread of the Chinese language. [[Duke University]] in Durham, North Carolina, has a Berlin program (Duke in Berlin) that is held in cooperation with the Free University of Berlin and Humboldt University. The [[University of California System]] organizes programs for American students in Berlin and Potsdam. The UC System maintains an office at the Free University of Berlin to attend to the needs of exchange students from the California campuses.

The Office of Global Programs of [[Columbia University]] in New York administers the Berlin Consortium for German Studies. Students from Columbia University and the other colleges and universities included in the consortium ([[University of Chicago]], [[Cornell University]], [[Johns Hopkins University]], [[University of Pennsylvania]], [[Princeton University]], and [[Vassar College]]) can attend classes at the Free University of Berlin for one or two semesters as external students. This temporary enrollment is preceded by a six-week intensive language program.

==Notable people== {{main|List of Free University of Berlin people}}

Alumni of the Free University of Berlin include several scientists, philosophers and politicians, amongst them five Nobel Prize winners and 15 [[Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize|Leibniz laureate]]s.

<gallery class="center" mode="nolines">

File:Herta Müller 1.jpg|[[Herta Müller]], novelist and [[Nobel Prize in Literature]] laureate File:Roman Herzog.jpg|[[Roman Herzog]], former [[President of Germany]] File:Jutta Limbach.jpg|[[Jutta Limbach]], former president of the [[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany]] File:2015-12 Otto Schily SPD Bundesparteitag by Olaf Kosinsky-144 (cropped).jpg|[[Otto Schily]], former Federal [[Minister of the Interior (Germany)|Minister of the Interior]] of Germany File:Eberhard Diepgen (2012) (cropped).jpg|[[Eberhard Diepgen]], politician, former [[Mayor of Berlin]] File:Gesine Schwan - 2016.jpg|[[Gesine Schwan]], [[Political Scientist|political scientist]], politician File:Klaus Wowereit Berlin-Tegel 01.jpg|[[Klaus Wowereit]], politician, former mayor of Berlin File:Rudi.jpg|[[Rudi Dutschke]], political activist, spokesperson of the [[German student movement]] File:Renate Künast 20090915-DSCF1946.jpg|[[Renate Künast]], politician, former [[Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Germany)|Minister of Food and Agriculture]], former Chairperson of [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] party File:Maischberger - 2019-03-06-6434.jpg|[[Kevin Kühnert]], politician, General Secretary of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD) File:MJK 19251 Franziska Giffey (SPD-Bundesparteitag 2018).jpg|[[Franziska Giffey]], politician, former [[Governing Mayor of Berlin|Mayor of Berlin]]

</gallery>

==See also== {{Commons}} *[[Universities and research institutions in Berlin]] *[[Humboldt University of Berlin]] *[[Technische Universität Berlin]] *[[University of Potsdam]] *[[List of split up universities]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/ Official website]

{{Free University of Berlin}} {{Navboxes|list= {{German Excellence Universities|state=expanded}} {{German U15}} {{Una Europa}} {{Europaeum}} {{UNICA}} {{Universities in Germany}} {{Visitor attractions in Berlin}} }}

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