About Us

Freie Universität attracts students and researchers from every continent. Source: Bernd Wannenmacher

Freie Universität Berlin, an international network university, is a leading research institution. It is a drawing card for international researchers and students. Roughly 18% of its students and 15% of its researchers come from abroad. For a brief introduction to the university, see At a Glance.

Currently, the university has more than 100 university-wide partnerships with scholarly institutions worldwide. In addition, there are 339 partner universities in the Erasmus mobility network. Among the university's various departments and research institutes, there are 45 partner agreements with other institutions.

In order to support the university's researchers and students in reaching out internationally, Freie Universität maintains a worldwide network of liaison offices.

Veritas-Justitia-Libertas

Three Latin words encircle the seal of Freie Universität Berlin – veritas, justitia, and libertas. They are Latin for truth, justice, and freedom. These terms reflect the values defining the scholarly and scientific ethos of the university today, just as they did at its founding in December of 1948.

International from the Very Beginning

The founding of Freie Universität Berlin was facilitated through international support, and international impulses have shaped its research ever since. What began as a necessity rapidly evolved into a successful strategy.

Freie Universität Berlin in the German Excellence Initiative

Freie Universität Berlin makes every effort to establish the best conditions for scientific and academic thinking and working for its researchers and students. It emerged from the German national Excellence Initiative as the most successful university in the competition.