Freie Universitaet Berlin Otto-Hahn-Bau im Winter 01-2005.jpg Building]] Freie Universitaet Berlin - Gebaeudekomplex Rost- und Silberlaube.jpg Freie Universitaet Berlin - Philologische Bibliothek.jpg]]

The Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin, German: Freie Universität Berlin) is the largest university in Berlin, Germany.

It was founded in 1948 by students and staff who were relegated because of their political views from Humboldt University of Berlin, formerly the traditional Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität of Berlin, and at that time controlled by the authorities in the Soviet sector. In 1968, it was the center of the left-wing German student movement in parallel to that in Paris, London, and Berkeley. Activists of that time included the SDS and Rudi Dutschke. By the 1980s, it had become the largest German university with 66,000 students. With the democratic restructuring of the Humboldt University after the German reunification, Freie Universität Berlin was downsized to about 38,000 students in the 1990s. Its main campus is located in the Dahlem district of the borough Steglitz-Zehlendorf.

Research at the Freie Universität Berlin is focused on humanities and social sciences. Prominent former scholars of the university include the philosopher Jacob Taubes, the philologist Peter Szondi, the German Supreme Court judge Jutta Limbach, former German president Roman Herzog and the 2004 German presidential candidate Gesine Schwan. The robot soccer players of the university's Computer Science department became vice world champions in 1999, 2000 and 2003 and world champions in 2004 and 2005.

Departments

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The university has 12 departments, three interdisciplinary central institutes and other central service institutions:

1. Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy
2. Business and Economics
3. Earth Sciences
4. Pedagogy and Psychology
5. History and Cultural Studies
6. Law
7. Mathematics and Computer Science
8. Medicine (Charité - University Medicine Berlin)
9. Philosophy and Humanities
10. Physics
11. Political and Social Science
12. Veterinary Medicine

Interdisciplinary Central Institutes

1. John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies
2. Institute for Latin American Studies
3. Institute for Eastern European Studies

   Central Service Institutions

   1. Botanical Garden Berlin and Botanical Museum Berlin
   2. Center for Academic Advising, Career and Counseling Services
   3. Center for Continuing Studies
   4. Center for the Promotion of Women's and Gender Studies
   5. Center for Recreational Sports
   6. Computer Center
   7. Language Center
   8. University Library

   External links

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   • Official Homepage

   See also

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   • Humboldt University of Berlin
   • Technical University of Berlin

   Education in Berlin | Universities in Berlin

   Freie Universität Berlin | Universidad Libre de Berlín | Université libre de Berlin | Freie Universität Berlin | Vrije Universiteit Berlijn | Freie Universität Berlin | Wolny Uniwersytet Berlina | Universidade Livre de Berlim | Freie Universität Berlin | 柏林自由大学