Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Overview

History, Affiliations & Rankings

The Free University of Berlin is a research-based university. It is a non-profit university based in Berlin. It was founded in 1948 by the students and professors to provide education for free. It received a lot of financial aid from the masses. FU Berlin is accredited by Senate Chancellery for Science and Research, Berlin. It holds recognition from the Conference of European School for Advanced Engineering Education and Research. FU Berlin is a member of Bologna Process of the European Higher Education System. FU Berlin is always ranked in the top 10 universities in Germany. According to THE Rankings, the global rank of FU Berlin is positioned at #104. It is ranked 5th in Germany. According to QS World Ranking, FU Berlin is ranked 130th in the world, 17th in Europe while the country ranking is positioned at no. 3. 

Infrastructure, Campus & Courses

FU Berlin has 4 campuses in Germany, namely, Dahlem Campus, Geocampus Lankwitz Campus, Campus Düppel and Campus Benjamin Franklin. The main campus of FU Berlin is Dahlem Campus. It has various institutes and departments including the school of business and Economics, Department of Law and Social Sciences. The campus also includes a 106-acre Botanic Garden with 20,000 wild plants. Social Sciences is the most popular field to pursue from FU Berlin. It has 12 departments namely, Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Department of Earth Sciences, Department of History and Cultural Studies, Department of Law, School of Business and Economics, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Department of Education and Psychology, Department of Philosophy, Department of Physics, Department of Political and Social Sciences, Medical School, Department of Veterinary Medicine. The university offers 73 undergraduate degrees, 105 graduate programs and 52 doctoral programs. FU has gained a status of universitas litterarum which means a university where studies in all basic sciences is possible. 

Accomplishments & Alumni

With nine projects approved in the German Excellence Initiative, Freie Universität emerged as the most prosperous university during 2006 and 2007. During the second phase, in 2012 funds were allocated through 2017 for the university’s eventual development concept “Veritas – Justitia – Libertas. International Network University” along with three batches of distinction and seven graduate schools based at Freie Universität Berlin or with assistance by Freie Universität. The rise in external funding from 57.1 million euros in 2007 to 112 million euros in 2012 is an indicator of the definite performance development of Freie Universität Berlin. FU Berlin enjoys a vast spread network of alumni from over 80 countries across the world. Some of the well-known alumni are Jonathan Franzen (American Novelist), Parag Khanna (Co-Founder and CEO of Factotum), Wolfgang Bahro (German Actor), Sir Christopher Munro Clark (Australian Historian) and many more. 

Student Diversity & Visiting Companies

As of 2019, it holds an enrollment of 33,000 students out of which 13% were international students in bachelor studies and 27% in post graduate studies. The cumulative percentage of international students is 40% in post-secondary education and 35% in doctoral studies. FU Berlin enjoys a great network of employers and has a great reputation among the students for its placements. It has an employment rate of 97% and with superb salaries. The list of recruiters includes some of the well reputed firms like Amazon, McKinsey and Company, Mintel, Trivago and many more.