Freiburg's University on course for excellence: International research in focus!

Freiburg's University on course for excellence: International research in focus!

The University of Freiburg is on the way to achieving the status of a university of excellence. Rector Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein emphasizes the importance of the excellence strategy, which serves as a central instrument for the further development of the university. With the aim of attracting outstanding scientists and sustainably supporting their career development, the university relies on reliable prospects for talents in early and middle career phases. The Minister of Science, Petra Olschowski, supports the university's efforts and sees good opportunities in the competition for the title of “University of Excellence”.

A central concern is to strengthen international cooperation and expand global networks in order to increase the international visibility of Baden-Württemberg as a science location. As part of a themed tour, central future topics of the university were presented, which illustrate the broad spectrum of research and teaching. These include, among other things, the resilience of forests to climate change and pests, decoding the language of life for new immunotherapies, and the responsible design of artificial intelligence.

Clusters of Excellence and their importance

From January 1, 2026, the German Research Foundation (DFG) will support two clusters of excellence at the University of Freiburg, which should further strengthen the university's status. The existing CIBSS (Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies) Cluster of Excellence will be extended for a further seven years, while a new Cluster of Excellence called Future Forests will be established. This announcement was made on May 22, 2025 by the DFG and the Science Council and represents a significant development within the framework of the Excellence Strategy.

Of a total of 98 applications that were evaluated, 57 existing and 41 new projects received funding approval. Annually, 529 million euros are available for the clusters of excellence, although the funding amounts can vary between three and ten million euros per cluster. With two of 70 clusters of excellence funded nationwide, the University of Freiburg has taken an important step in advancing its application for university of excellence status.

Research priorities and interdisciplinary programs

The funded clusters of excellence at the University of Freiburg focus on socially relevant topics. CIBSS explores how cells communicate via biological signals to solve global challenges in health and nutrition. The new Future Forests cluster focuses on the transformation of forests into more adaptable social-ecological systems.

In this context, tenure-track professors like Dr. Kathrin Blumenstein, who conducts research on the interactions between fungal pathogens and host species, and Dr. Priscilla Briquez, who is involved in cancer research, presented her projects. Both scientists are members of their respective clusters of excellence and therefore actively contribute to research into sustainable ecosystems and innovative therapies.

In addition, Prof. Dr. Silja Vöneky and Prof. Dr. Joschka Boedecker on the responsible development of artificial intelligence. During a demonstration of their robotics project ReScaLe, they show how AI can improve support in everyday life. The core goal of these research projects is to reconcile technological innovations with social requirements and ethical guidelines.

The University of Freiburg thus remains a beacon of the Baden-Württemberg scientific landscape and continues to focus on research and teaching that extends beyond the state's borders. The commitment to interdisciplinary and international collaborations will undoubtedly help to position the university as a university of excellence.