Free University of Berlin
The Free University of Berlin was created in 1948, during the instability of postwar Germany, when students at the previous Universität Unter den Linden, then located in the city's Soviet district, faced persecution for their political views. The Free University was founded with foreign backing, allowing scholars to pursue their teaching and studying without political intervention.
Several student protests and demonstrations took place at the institution in the 1960s. The reunification of Germany in 1990 brought about changes in university administration, as well as a renewed emphasis on research. It is now one of just eleven 'German Universities of Excellence.'
The Free University of Berlin, located in the beautiful suburb of Dahlem in southwest Berlin, has over 32,000 students and offers over 150 degree programs. It includes 17 joint research centers, a staff of about 5,000 academics, and relationships with institutions all over the world. It also has seven foreign liaison offices in Beijing, Brussels, Cairo, Moscow, New Delhi, New York, and Sao Paulo.
The university also has five Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, as well as 17 Leibniz Prize winners. With women holding 30% of professorships, the university is likewise in the forefront of gender representation in German higher education institutions.
The Free University of Berlin has hosted many notable personalities throughout the years, including President John F. Kennedy, who picked it as the site for his 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech in 1963.
MORE INFORMATION:
World rank: 55
Location: Berlin, Germany
Website: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/index.html
