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Here and on Facebook, we announce events and share UCF news and developments.

Registration for EPICUR Summer Programmes 2024 now open (March 13)

Spring Courses 24

The EPICUR course catalogue for summer 2024 is now online!

This summer, EPICUR offers a diverse portfolio of 25 courses that are easy to combine with your schedule and provide you an international and enriching learning experience.

Boost your academic skills, acquire new knowledge, and meet other students from 9 European universities! Work in an interdisciplinary intercultural team and gain insights beyond your field of study! You are not very flexible but still want to participate in EPICUR courses? No problem, you can do that from home as EPICUR also offers online courses to allow everyone the same unique learning experience.

EPICUR Summer Programmes range from Sustainable Transformation, European Values and Global Health to Future Intelligence. Additionally, EPICUR provides courses designed to enhance your Transversal Skills and facilitate Language Acquisition across a diverse range of languages.

Courses start from April 2024Registration is open from 11 March until 08 April (23.59 CET), 2024. 

Please visit the EPICUR Course Catalogue to sign up and for further information.

LAS Course Catalog Summer Semester 2024 (February 28)

The new LAS Course Catalog for the summer semester 2024 is out now. Have a look at the courses that will be offered this summer, such as:

Course Catalog

  • Advanced Mathematics
  • Anthropology of the State: Ethnographic Perspectives
  • Comparative Governments of the Global South
  • Consciousness, the Psycho-Physical Problem and Exceptional Experiences
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Governing Mobility: Policy-Making for Migration and Displacement
  • Introduction to the Philosophy of Science 28 Law, State, Society
  • Neuroscience: From Brain to Behaviour
  • People, Landscape, Management: Planning for Ecosystem Services
  • Studying Conflicts: Historic and Interpretive Research
  • The Bicycle

The latest information on individual courses is available on ILIAS. Regarding course registration, please carefully read pages 3 and 4.

University of Freiburg Senate against racism and anti-Semitism (Feb 26)

In its meeting on 21 February 2024, the Senate of the University of Freiburg passed a resolution against racism and anti-Semitism. As an open and international higher education institution, UCF values respectful exchange and wholeheartedly endorses the statement.

"The University of Freiburg Senate strongly condemns anti-democratic endeavours and the contempt for humanity associated with them and endorses the statement by the Executive Board of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) of 23 January 2014 'Science needs liberal democracy and the rule of law.'"

The complete statement as well as further information is available on the central University website. There you can also read the Statement by the University of Freiburg for diversity and mutual respect.

Liberal Education Student Conference May 9-11 in Freiburg (Feb 21)

LESC 2024After a pandemic pause, the Liberal Education Student Conference (LESC) is being revived. This is a conference for students to exchange on their Liberal Education programs. It is a significant opportunity for students to rethink and reconnect in the evolving landscape of Liberal Arts and Sciences, both locally and globally.

The LESC 2024, organised by students of University College Freiburg, will be held on 9-11 May 2024 in Freiburg. The theme is "Liberal what?" Liberal Education: Rethink and Reconnect. With this conference, we want to re-establish and promote connections between Liberal Education programs, exchange views, and discuss the future of Liberal Education. The theme is expressed by four tracks:

Track 1 Integrating Liberal Education with Individual Journeys (networking universities)
Track 2 Students and our impact on communities (career related)
Track 3 How history created modern society (interdisciplinary)
Track 4 The future is interdisciplinary (futuring education)

How to participate? The LESC is opening the second round of call for paper. To register, students need to write a paper, no more than 600 words, responding to one of the conference topics. The registration deadline is March 01 2024, 23:59. Our offer is to provide free meal and travelling to students, while accommodation support is encouraged to be requested from students’ home university, before applying from us. More information can be found here on the LESC Freiburg website.

Call for applications: EPICUR student board assistant (Feb 14)

EPICUR Logo

Are you passionate about shaping the future of European higher education? The EPICUR Student Board is currently on the lookout for enthusiastic new members to actively contribute to our dynamic international project.

What?

  • You will be hired as a student assistant at the University of Freiburg with a contract for 24h/month.
  • We are looking for students who are in the midst of their studies (with a commitment of at least 1 year to fully immerse in the project).


You are

  • willing to proactively contribute to the development of the Student Board
  • experienced in student representation work
  • willing to travel within Europe (expenses covered)
  • flexible to invest the necessary time and motivated to be creative


If you are ready to contribute to the transformation of higher education within our Student Board, we invite you to apply (positions available as of now)! Be part of the EPICUR journey and help shape the future of European university alliances with us.

Find more information here.

Contact: Charlotte Langowski – EPICUR Coordinator University of Freiburg: 

LAS Bachelor Projects Student Conference on February 13 (Feb 8)

Bachelor Conference 2024Every year, UCF students organize a student conference to present and discuss their ongoing Bachelor theses projects. The winter 2024 conference will take place on Tuesday, February 13 at the Uni Freiburg Peterhof, in rooms 1 and 2.

The 2024 program can be downloaded here and includes panels on

  • Global Health and Diseases
  • Environment and Economy
  • Cognitive Studies
  • Media Analysis
  • Ethics in Context
  • Environment and Human Action


The conference is part of the LAS Module "Research Design Across Disciplines" and open to all!

Meet the LAS Interns – February 2 Showcase Event at UCF (Jan 25)

LAS students can undertake internships and practical projects for credit in the LAS Electives. In pre-COVID times, we hosted an information event by students, for students about experiences in preparing, doing, and receiving ECTS for such projects. This format is now being reactivated!

When? Friday, February 2, as of 16:00

Where? Max-Kade II at UCF

What?

  • Presentations by Awa, Eva, Karla, Lena, and Mara; you can find the 2024 presentations and those from previous events on the LAS Electives page.
  • About AWI, IKA, sinny&ooko, uniCROSS, and Wathi
  • Fun [!] Q&A as well as wine & snacks

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For information about the curricular integration of internships and practical projects, see the ILIAS pages.

For more information about past events, please see LAS Electives.

Eucor/Uni Basel: Sustainable Eucor Cities? 12.-16.02. (in presence and via zoom)

Hybrid Seminar: Sustainable Eucor Cities? Exploring Your City through the Lens of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mapping – Analysis – Action.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 sub-goals forms the framework for realizing a future-proof and sustainable society. In order to make the goals set by the global community for all countries more tangible, they are introduced in this course as a tool for analyzing developments in your own city. Where does the relevance of certain SDGs become particularly tangible? Where can the SDGs be used to observe developments towards sustainability, where can grievances be revealed? Where and in what way can each and every individual take action to implement the SDGs? These questions are at the heart of the course. The aim of the course is to develop a guideline for the elaboration of SDG city exploration tours by students for students in the Eucor cities and to develop and test prototypes of these tours.

Find a detailed course description here.

  • When? 12.02.2024-16.02.2024, 10:15-17:00
  • Format
  • Hybrid block course, Working Language English
  • Practice-oriented collaboration in interdisciplinary teams
  • 3 ECTS
  • Location
  • On Site: Petersgraben 27, Hörsaal 215 (Sociology), University of Basel
  • Zoom: The meeting link will be provided via mail upon registration.
  • Target group: Interested Eucor-students at all levels of study.
  • Registration: Registration is possible until February 5th. Please register by e-mail to 


For more information about studying in the Eucor area, please see the Uni Freiburg International Office.

Eucor Logos

Happy Holidays and all the best for the New Year 2024

We thank all UCF supporters – students, staff, professors and many friends – for their commitment and engagement in 2023.

We wish you a peaceful festive season and the very best for the New Year 2024.

Happy Holidays 2023

We thank our UCF alumna Vera Brandes for the photo of this year's card.

With 2023 coming to an end, we can announce our tentative list of LAS Open Day activities for the UCF Liberal Arts and Sciences Program.

LAS Open Days 2024

  • Starting on January 26, we will host a series of Online Open Days.
  • In-person Open Days at University College Freiburg are planned for May 17 and June 21 14

Application & Admissions 2024

The application period for starting the LAS Program in October 2024 is June 1 – July 15. For more information, please see our Application and Admissions pages, which we will update early 2024.

Freiburg FavoritesLive Open DayLAS Wisdom

Interdisciplinary College 2024: Registration is now open (Dec. 8)

Interdisciplinary College 2024The Interdisciplinary College 2024 (IK2024) is an annual spring school, which will take place from March 1 to March 8 at Lake Möhne in Germany: www.interdisciplinary-college.org For 2024, UCF staff member Dr. Simon J. Büchner will be one of the chairs. The focus theme for 2024 is Resilience, Robustness, Responsibility

The event is designed to bring together researchers and students from diverse academic backgrounds who share a passion for interdisciplinary learning and research – whether Neuroscience, Psychology, Artificial Intelligence or Biology. This year's program offers an exciting lineup of courses, workshops, and activities that span various disciplines and promote collaborative, innovative thinking.

We invite you to explore the full program on our website and take advantage of early registration to secure your spot at the spring school. Don't miss this opportunity to broaden your horizons and contribute to the vibrant interdisciplinary community at IK2024. Feel free to share this announcement with colleagues, students, or anyone who might be interested.

Alice Hasters: Reading of her New Book & Discussion (Dec. 7)

Poster Feminism2Go Lecture SeriesUCF's student committee Feminism To-Go is holding a lecture series on decolonial feminism in this semester.

On December 7, 2023, Alice Hasters will read from her new book "Identitätskrise", followed by a discussion within the context of Decolonial Feminism (in German). The event is organized by Feminism2Go in cooperation with iz3w.

When? December 7, 2023, 18:00

Where? Kollegiengebäude III, HS 3044

Alice Hasters lebt und arbeitet als freie Autorin, Moderatorin und Speakerin in Berlin. Sie war unter anderem für Deutschlandfunk Nova und das Jugendprogramm Funk tätig und entwickelte Social-Media-Formate für die Tagesschau und den RBB. Ihr erstes Buch "Was weiße Menschen nicht über Rassismus hören wollen, aber wissen sollten" (2019, hanserblau) stand über ein Jahr auf der SPIEGEL-Bestsellerliste. Für ihre Bildungsarbeit zum Thema Rassismus wurde sie 2020 zur Kulturjournalistin des Jahres gewählt.

Zum Buch "Identitätskrise"
 
Identität ist eine Geschichte, die man sich über sich selbst erzählt. Eine Identitätskrise ist die Erkenntnis, dass diese Geschichte nicht mehr aufgeht. Alice Hasters überträgt das Konzept der persönlichen Identitätskrise auf unser westliches politisches System – mit überraschenden Erkenntnissen. Wer ihr in den Kaninchenbau folgt, wird die Welt mit anderen Augen sehen. Und sich selbst such.

"Testimonial Injustice and Trust" – Co-edited by Melanie Altanian out now (Nov 28)

Book Cover.jpgDr. Melanie Altanian's new co-edited volume "Testimonial Injustice and Trust" has just been published by Routledge. It presents novel approaches and perspectives to scholarship on epistemic injustice and particularly, testimonial injustice and their connections with public trust. 

Drawing from different philosophical schools of thought and approaches, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of the conditions, mechanisms and normative implications of testimonial injustice, a term most prominently introduced by Fricker (2007), and the role that trust can play in fostering testimonial justice. Through the application of theories of epistemic injustice, and testimonial injustice, to new contexts and cases, including gendered violence, disability, indigenous knowledge, genocide, vaccine hesitancy and the COVID-19 pandemic, the book sheds light on the real-world significance of these philosophical concepts.

More information about the book is available at Routledge.

EPICUR course catalogue for spring semester 2024 now online (November 22)

Spring Courses 24

The EPICUR course catalogue for spring semester 2024 is now online!

Upcoming spring, EPICUR offers a diverse portfolio of almost 30 courses across 9 universities in 7 countries. Whilst studying in EPICUR, you can personalise your programme through a combination of in person, virtual, blended and hybrid learning. 

Gain ECTS by following a learning pathway or individual courses on topics which compliment your core programme. EPICUR courses mainly focus on the themes of European values, Key competences, Entrepreneurship and Language Training, covering topics such as water supply and wastewater treatment, Europe's LGBTQ+ histories, cultures and politics, critical thinking, digital healthcare or modern Greek.

Courses start from January 2024

Registration is open from 20 November until 04 December (midnight), 2023. 

Please visit the EPICUR Interuniversity Campus to register and for further information. 

Lecture Series of Feminism2Go

UCF's student committee Feminism To-Go is holding a lecture series on decolonial feminism in this semester.

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The first lecture is by Dr. Anke Graneß about "New Epistemic Frameworks and Social Transformation in African Feminist Theory".

When? November 21, 2023, 18:00

Where? Max-Kade-Auditorium 1, Alte Universität

Prof. Vogelmann's new book "Umkämpfte Wissenschaften" is out now (Oct 24)

Vogelmann Umkämpfte WissenschaftenProf. Frieder Vogelmann's new book "Umkämpfte Wissenschaften – zwischen Idealisierung und Verachtung" has just been published by Reclam. In his recent book, Frieder Vogelmann discusses sciences between idealization and contempt.

There is currently an argument about the sciences: about their results, their methods and their practices. This is commensurate with their social importance, but leads to a dangerously truncated understanding, as if there were only one science. Against the denial of "science", its defenders in turn erect an ideal that immunizes science against criticism, obscures its diversity, and plays into the hands of science deniers, since no research practice corresponds to it. Against this harmful ideal, Frieder Vogelmann argues for a realistic understanding of scientific practices.

Here you can find more information about the book.

Do you want to hear more from Prof. Frieder Vogelmann? Then listen in to his latest radio lecture "Wissenschaft als Mittel gegen das »postfaktische Zeitalter«?" on Deutschlandfunk Nova Hörsaal!

KLANGKOMUNIK: A Participatory Lecture Performance on October 23 (Oct. 10)

Klangkomunik

Wo kommt der Gesang her?
Where does singing come from?

"Die Soziale Gruppe" (Anne Munka // Jan F. Kurth // Fiona Combosch) works with the two acoustic phenomena that have always served humans for communication and exchange: language and music. In KLANGKOMUNIK, the group focusses on collective singing as a socio-musical archetype of human gatherings.

KLANGKOMUNIK is an evening between lecture performance and chamber concert. In the lecture parts of the program Die Soziale Gruppe presents facts and observations from ethnomusicology and music sociology, linguistics and acoustics. Language and music are closely linked in their formation. Where one ends and the other begins cannot be precisely verified. The group uses this space "in between" for making music together and for their own distinctive compositions.

When? 23.10.2023, 20:00

Where? Theatersaal der Alten Universität, Bertoldstr. 17

Please register (by 21.10.2023) with:

Further information is available in the flyer here.

RESILIENCE THROUGH MUSIC is a series of courses taught by the Professorship in Science and Technology Studies. KLANGKOMUNIK opens this series of events, which will be offered over several semesters to support the work-life balance of students in particular.

Lecture Series: Forschungspraktiken erforschen (Sept. 26)

The university occupies a central position in the social production of knowledge and has thus always been entangled in the struggles for recognized knowledge and accepted forms of knowledge.
The upcoming lecture series of Nadja Germann, Anne Koch & Frieder Vogelmann takes up questions and critiques of current research in order to deal with these entanglements: What are the characteristics of these practices? How do we, as scientists, imagine the modes of knowledge production? What binds that knowledge together, how do statements become truthful, and which actors provide for or prevent transformations of prevailing knowledge practices? We examine the challenges that knowledge institutions currently face and the perspectives that they offer – despite all entanglements.

When? Dienstags, 18:15-19:45 (first lecture on November 14, 2023)
Where? HS 1015, KG I

Registration for EPICUR autumn courses 23/24 now open (Sept 6)

The second course registration phase for EPICUR fall courses 2023/24 is now open.

Applications are open from September 4 until September 15, 2023. EPICUR autumn courses offer the following opportunities:

  • Slavonic, Nordic/Scandinavian and Modern Greek (Language and Culture Pathways): Three learning pathways in Slavonic, Nordic/Scandinavian and Modern Greek. Each pathways allows combining courses within one linguistic area.
  • Language Training for Mobility: Individual courses to acquire and improve your language skills
  • Key competences: Individual courses to acquire and improve your key competences such as communication, critical thinking, media literacy skills, etc.
  • Sustainable Transformation and European Values (EPICUR thematic and interdisciplinary courses): Individual courses mainly focused on the topics of European Identities and Sustainability
  • Entrepreneurship and Engagement: Individual courses on Entrepreneurship and Societal engagement

You can find the course catalogue here.

LAS Course Catalog Winter Semester 2023-24 (August 11)

The new LAS Course Catalog for winter semester 2023-24 is out now. Have a look at all the interesting and exciting courses that will be offered this summer, such as:

Course Catalog

  • Organizational Psychology
  • Wicked Problems in Socio-Economic Systems
  • The World as Sound
  • Fungi in the Anthropocene
  • Sustainable Cities
  • Biotechnology
  • Who Am I? A Multidisciplinary Expedition of Human Identity
  • Human Physiology
  • Worldmaking in Freiburg
  • The Right (Not) to Know
  • Economic Behavior and Strategic Decisions

The latest information on individual courses is available on ILIAS. Regarding course registration, please carefully read pages 3 and 4.

Summer Break (August 2023)

After a busy academic year 2022/23 things are winding down at UCF and Alte Uni (including complete internet collapse today...). We hope everybody has a good and well-deserved summer break!

Disassembl3D Workshop (July 26)

Disassembl3D is the tinkering committee of the UCF, where students collaboratively learn to do 3d-printing, electronics, robotics and related dark arts. In the summer semester LAS student Radu and his team organized a workshop for interested students.

If you want to know more about the Disassembl3D committee, have a look at the Student Council website.

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Impressions from the course "Beer Brewing: Craft and Taste" (July 5)

The course “Beer Brewing: Craft and Taste” has returned to the UCF curriculum this summer semester – jointly organized by Dres. Simon Büchner, Christoph Howe, William Lyon, and Ryan Plumley.

What is a craft? How is scientific expertise related to craftsmanship? How do human beings create reciprocal relationships to other organisms and to the wider environment? How does participating in craft production affect your perception (taste) of the product?

Beer brewing is a craft in which humans interact with other organisms (yeast, hops, and grains) to create an appealing taste. The course focused on the knowledge and practice involved in the production of beer in ways that offer both positive opportunity and negative consequences for the people, the organisms, and the environment. In addition, they also approached the consumption of beer through the physiology and phenomenology of taste.

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Erasmus Prize Award Ceremony 2023 (June 21)

On June 21, UCF awarded the Erasmus Prize for the Liberal Arts and Sciences for the 11th time. This year, the Erasmus Prize was awarded to Sophia Hiss and to Dr. Lisa Reuter, both from the University of Freiburg. Please see the press release for further information.

We were honored that Theresia Bauer, member of the state parliament and former Minister for Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg, gave this year's keynote speech: "Über die transformative Kraft von Wissenschaft". We thank her for a very interesting and inspiring lecture.

Finally, UCF thanks all guests, friends and supporters, and especially the Sparkasse Freiburg-Nördlicher Breisgau for their tremendous support.

Here are some impressions from the award ceremony in the beautiful Meckelhalle (photos by Patrick Seeger).

Erasmus Prize Winners 2023

FLTR: Daniel Zeiler (Chairman of the Board, Sparkasse Freiburg-Nördlicher Breisgau), Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein (Rector of the University of Freiburg), Sophia Hiss (Prize Winner), Dr. Lisa Reuter (Prize Winner), Theresia Bauer MdL (Keynote Speaker), Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Hans-Joachim Gehrke (UCF Director of Outreach), Prof. Dr. Andrea Kiesel (Supervisor of Ms. Reuter), Dr. Simon Wolfgang Fuchs (Supervisor of Ms. Hiss)

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Some impressions from the festive award ceremony.

Comparative Government Course goes Freiburg (June 20)

Excursion Comparative GovernmentThe Comparative Government students this week attended a couple of events with the City of Freiburg organized by the Governance major lecturer Ermelinda Kanushi.

On Monday, 12 June, we had a guest lecture from Kai Knobloch, Deputy Team Leader at the Mayor's Office. He talked about the administrative composition of the City of Freiburg and introduced us to the areas the city is currently working on. Also, he discussed the latest approved budget and presented the organigram and the composition of the City Council of the City of Freiburg.

On Wednesday, 14 June, the whole Comparative Government group met with the Green Party City Councilor Anke Wiedmann at the Old Townhall (alte Rathaus). She talked about her experience as a councilor and the Greens' position on some of the city's main priorities. She also answered questions regarding the latest passed budget. Later the students attended a City Council meeting on the topic of "Mobility". During the meeting councilors discussed the different infrastructural projects of the city.

Prof. Frieder Vogelmann in Hertie panel discussion (June 16)

Hertie Panel DiscussionOn June 16, UCF’s Prof. Frieder Vogelmann will take part in the panel discussion on “Politics and Science – Team Players or Opponents” at the Hertie Summit/ Alumni Reunion 2023 together with Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Lara Keuck, Klara Eglseer, Lea Merkel, Luisa Mutschler, and Cornelia Woll.

The interaction between politics and science is complex. In times of health and climate crises, the importance of scientific policy advice and evidence-based decision-making becomes clear. At the same time, the representation of scientists in political positions in Germany is low. How can cooperation between politics and science be expanded and strengthened in the future? Do we need new concepts of and structures for this cooperation? Is it reasonable and advantageous for politics and science to act independently and separately from each other?

More information is available on the Hertie website.

When? June 16, 6 pm

Where? Here you can follow the livestream.

Premiere of Café Populaire (June 15)

Café PopulaireThe student theater group Schall&Rauch is putting on a new production and the premiére is next week on June 15! And what's even better: it's a heavily LAS-connected production, with LASers on and behind the stage. They'd love your support and to see you at one of their performances. So, grab a flyer from the common room, check out schallundrauchfreiburg.de or walk by Buchhandlung Ludwig (it's right next door to the Alte Uni) for your tickets!

When? June 15,16, 18 and 19, 2023
Where? TheaterFISTung (Friedrichstraße 39, 79098 Freiburg)

UCF goes UCM – hitchhiking challenge 2023

UCF UCM Hitchhiking ChallengeThe UCM-UCF hitchhiking challenge is a project organized by respective Outreach committees of both colleges. A group of LASers from Freiburg visit University College Maastricht (UCM) and get the opportunity to explore the city, meet people studying at UCM, and gain unique insights into the college everyday-life with the possibility to sit-in in lectures and similar. Students are hosted by students and as the title says, the preferred mode of travelling would be hitchhiking, although train-rides or car sharing is an option.

Vice versa, Maastricht students come to Freiburg on another date and have the opportunity to explore Freiburg and meet LAS students from here. The hitchhiking challenge is a tradition of student-organized exchange since the very first years of UCF and had sadly come to an halt during the 3 years of the Covid-19 Pandemic - thus we were more than happy to re-start the tradition!

June 1: The LAS application period 2023 starts today!

The Liberal Arts and Sciences application period starts on June 1 and runs until July 15. We are very excited and are looking forward to your application.

  • We have detailed Application Guidelines on our website. There are two different application processes (and guidelines) – depending on your citizenship and where you acquired your University entrance qualification. Please read and follow "your" guideline carefully.

  • Have a look at our Online Study-Choice Assistant (OSA). With videos of UCF staff and students, it is not only informative (and fun!). It also counts as a so-called study-orientation test for your LAS application.

  • If you have questions about LAS, join our Online Open Day Q&A Sessions with a focus on the Application&Admissions process on:
    • June 30, 2023: 10-11 am
    • July 12, 2023: 2-3 pm
    Kindly register for the sessions at .

  • Join us on our in-person Open Day at UCF on Friday June 23, 1-4 pm.

LAS Apply now

Do you want to know what it's like to study LAS at UCF? Then have a look at our LAS Stories and the LAS course experiences! And follow our LAS students on Instagram for more fun facts and insights.

June 1-2: Workshop "Wie weiter mit der politischen Epistemologie?"

Workshop Politische EpistemologieWe are happy to announce and invite you to the workshop "Wie weiter mit der politischen Epistemologie? Postkoloniale, feministische, kritische und analytische Erkenntnistheorie im Dialog", organized by Prof. Dr. Frieder Vogelmann and Prof. Dr. Kristina Lepold (HU Berlin). The workshop includes contributions from Hilkje Hänel, Gerald Posselt, Martin Kusch, Claudia Brunner, Sophie Veigl, Robin Celikates, Nadja El Kassar, Olaf Müller, Anke Graneß and Frieder Vogelmann.

When? June 1 (2.00-7.30 p.m.) and June 2 (9.30 – 6.15 p.m.)

Where? Room 4, Peterhof, Niemensstraße 10

Registration! Attendance is free, registration is required by 24th of May

Here you can find the full program.

Documentary film and discussion "Freiburg im Nationalsozialismus" (May 25)

Doku Event Freiburg im NationalsozialismusToday, Freiburg is known as a liberal and tolerant city, a stronghold of Germany's green party. Thus, it is almost unimaginable what happened there 90 years ago. The documentary "Freiburg im Nationalsozialismus" by LAS student Carla Mallmann is examining the events in Freiburg during the years 1933 until 1945. The film shows the university’s Nazification, the terror against the Jewish population and the resistance groups that operated in the Wiehre quarter.

Friends of Freiburg Alumni North America invite you to "Freiburg im Nationalsozialismus" – A Discussion with Film Creator Carla Mallmann, moderated by Marta Millar.

When? Thursday, May 25, 18.00 MEZ

Where? Via Zoom. Register in advance for this event.

This event is co-sponsored by the DAAD Alumni Association USA.

EPICUR course catalogue for autumn semester 2023/24 now online (May 18)

EPICUR Autumn Semester 23/24

The EPICUR course catalogue for autumn semester 2023/24 is now online!

This autumn, EPICUR offers a diverse portfolio of over 90 courses across 9 universities in 7 countries. Whilst studying in EPICUR, you can personalise your programme through a combination of in person, virtual, blended and hybrid learning. 

Gain ECTS by following a learning pathway or individual courses on topics which compliment your core programme. EPICUR courses mainly focus on the themes of European Identities and Sustainability, covering topics such as language competencies, critical thinking, entrepreneurship and societal engagement and media literacy.

Courses start from September 2023

Registration is open from 18 May until June 12th (midnight), 2023. 

Please visit the EPICUR Interuniversity Campus to register and for further information. 

P.S. For Freiburg students: Accommodation and travel to the EPIC Mission Kick-off in Poznan in August will be covered.

Guest lecture from Prof. Destradi (May 10)

Prof. Destradi Guest LectureWe are excited to announce that Prof. Dr. Sandra Destradi, who serves as the Chair of International Relations and Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Freiburg, will be joining the Comparative Government course at University College Freiburg as a guest speaker.

The course, led by lecturer Ermelinda Kanushi from the Governance major, will feature a discussion on the topic of "Populism and Foreign Affairs" with Professor Destradi. Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain insights into this timely and relevant issue!

When? May 10, 10:15am

Where? Peterhof HS 1

Study Abroad Fair on May 5

Study Abroad Fair 2023

Whether you are a returnee and would like to share insights about going abroad, or a curious student wanting to learn more about the options you have at hand: you are warmly invited to this year’s Study Abroad Fair.

We will first introduce the different ways abroad: we will tell you more about UCF exchanges, the University of Freiburg Global Exchange program, the Erasmus “Restplätze” at other faculties, or the option to go abroad as a free mover. We will then open a conversation between returning and curious students to share their experiences abroad, clarify questions and much more. We hope to see you on Friday for a drink around intercontinental conversations!

When? Friday, May 5th, 2023 at 12:00 s.t.

Where? Max Kade I, University College Freiburg

UCF's Prof. Gehrke opens the Samstags-Uni "Blicke auf Europa" on April 22

This Saturday, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Hans-Joachim Gehrke, UCF Director of Outreach, will open the Samstags-Uni series "Blicke auf Europa". His talk is titled "Europa in seiner Geschichte: Eine Vergangenheit für die Zukunft".

When? Saturday, April 22, 11:00 c.t.

Where? HS 1010, Kollegiengebäude I (KG I)

Shared notions of history are crucial for collective identities. This is all the more true for Europe. In this context, people usually look for what unites them by distinguishing themselves from the Other as the ultimate stranger, a procedure that is especially common in nationalism. In this way, certain myths of Europe have also emerged, which are characterized by the idea of a fundamental West-East antagonism. The lecture counters this with a differentiated picture of European history. It is based on the fact that Europe and an idea of it already existed before the nation states developed. Thus, the path leads us back to the roots, to the cultures of antiquity. After they had found their final expression in the Roman Empire, they decisively shaped European civilization. In this way, beyond all differences, essential commonalities become visible, the elements, as it were, of a European community of destiny. They will endure in the future if we do not forget their origins.

The slides from his talk are available here (PDF, 10 MB).

EPICUR Call for Course Proposals 2023/24 (April 17)

EPICUR Course Call 2023-24The call for course contributions for the the EPICUR Academic Year 2023/24 is out now, and we are very much looking forward to your contributions!

Deadline for proposals is April 27.

Please consider contributing your course! We particularly welcome course proposals that take an innovative approach to teaching by integrating multiple fields of study and fostering collaboration among students. Ideal courses for EPICUR help students acquire competencies to tackle real-world problems. Courses might engage students in:

  • hands-on, project- and challenge-based learning
  • developing the ability to communicate clearly across borders and cultures, and
  • acquiring transversal skills that can be applied across disciplines


If you would like to increase the diversity in your classroom, become part of an international community of academics, get access to EPICUR's teacher support, take the opportunity to offer an innovative course in your expertise, please see the EPICUR website for more information. Please see here the survey for the Call for Course Proposals.

In case of any questions, please

After LAS insights – April 18 meet and exchange with UCF Alumni (April 11)

We invite you to meet UCF alumni who are happy to share their after LAS experiences with you! Join us, connect with alumni, and learn about the many ways of getting a foot on the path.

When? Tuesday, April 18, 18:00-20:00

Where? On Zoom:
https://uni-freiburg.zoom.us/j/61936630271?pwd=K3EvaUJxOWN5cDJrN2lUazMyU3JJUT09
Meeting-ID: 619 3663 0271
Kenncode: KL6P2LfFk

What?

  • Introduction round with alumni from all Majors: experiences, challenges, lessons learned during and after LAS
  • Q&A with alumni and UCF staff about individual and general after LAS experiences
  • Connect and discuss with UCF alumni in small breakout rooms

This event is a starting point to connect students and alumni and to discuss bigger questions such as

  • How can I shape my profile during LAS?
  • What does life after LAS look like?
  • What are my options? A master's program? Internships? Working life?
  • What is LAS really teaching us?

Alumni Event PosterAlumni Event SimonAlumni Event JuliaAlumni Event KatarinaAlumni Event ClaraAlumni Event Saskia

Go social: Responsibility and Leadership Conference (April 3)

At the end of winter semester, the students presented their projects of the course "Responsibility and Leadership" , held by Thorsten Leiendecker and Dr. Simone Krais, at UCF. This year, the overall topic was ‘The Social Student’ with many diverse productions, such as board games, podcasts and videos as well concepts for a repair café (which is a new and very recent student initiative at UCF) and an open orientation meeting for first years. Very impressive!

Here are some impressions:

welcome.pngcroissant-conversations.pngcard-game.pngrepair-cafe.pngfilm.pngStudent Magazine

Listen in! Prof. Vogelmann at Deutschlandfunk Kultur (March 19)

Prof. Vogelmann at Deutschlandfunk

Prof. Vogelmann talks with Catherine Newmark about how to translate science into public: "Wie Wissenschaft in Öffentlichkeit übersetzen?"

This interesting conversation (in German) from March 19 can be downloaded here at Deutschlandfunk Kultur.

EPICUR Summer Program now online (March 8)

EPICUR Program Summer 2023

The EPICUR Summer Program 2023 is now online!

This summer with EPICUR, you will be able to acquire a variety of knowledge and skills, and have the opportunity to meet other students from 9 universities in 7 European countries.

All courses run between May and September, either as block courses (full-time courses running over one, two or three weeks) or as regular courses (courses running over several weeks). Please see our Application Guidance Note for more detailed information.

The application period runs from: March 6 – April 2, 23:59, 2023.

Enjoy browsing the catalogue and we hope to welcome you at one of our EPICUR universities or online to our summer program!

Digital Storytelling Workshop – LAS Pre-Block Course March 14-16 (March 7)

Sharing stories is virtually as old as language. We share stories to convey knowledge, morals and history. Storytelling is the art of effectively creating a narrative that really engages an audience.

The 2-ECTS pre-block course "Digital Storytelling" is about expressing personal stories through short films. Participants create, narrate and visualize a video based on their unique story. This provides an opportunity for reflection and expression, while building meaningful connections with others. The workshop is open to all, regardless of previous film experience. The workshop is a pre-block course in the module Advanced Academic Skills. LAS students who are interested are cordially invited to join the sessions:

  • Introduction to Storytelling (Tue, 9:30)
  • Storycircle (Wed, 9:30)
  • and, of course, the Film Screening (Thu, 16-18h).


You can register for the 2-ECTS full pre-block course on HISinOne until Friday, March 10. 
If you would like to join individual sessions, please register on ILIAS.

LAS Course Catalog Summer Semester out now!

The new LAS Course Catalog for summer semester 2023 is out now. Have a look at all the interesting and exciting courses that will be offered this summer, such as:

Course Catalog Summer Semester 2023

  • A Crash Course in Geoscience
  • Heritage Interpretation as Transformative Education
  • Progress in the Golden Age of Conspiracy and Misinformation
  • Ecology and Biodiversity
  • Conscious Intercultural Communication
  • An Intellectual History of Feminist Thought
  • Epistemic Injustice
  • Drunken Capitalism
  • Science and Practice of Sustainable Gardening
  • Backsliding of Democracy? The Rule of Law
  • Human Cognition and Artificial Intelligence

The latest information on individual courses is available on ILIAS. Regarding course registration, please carefully read pages 4 and 5.

Impressions from the Bachelor Project Conference (February 14)

After a pandemic hiatus, LAS students hosted the TEFKARDAD (The Event Formerly Known as RDAD) on February 14 – a largely in-person, also hybrid, self-organized student research conference. Throughout the day, 4th year LAS students focused, presented, and discussed their ongoing bachelor thesis projects. The impressive variety of topics was organized into panels and a poster session and allowed for exciting presentations and plenty of learning:

  • The Mind and the Body
  • Feminine Narratives
  • Climate Change – Causes & Effects
  • Progressive Perspectives
  • Online Grab Bag!
  • City Planning Case Studies
  • Managing Society
  • How Policy Shapes Communities
  • Plastic – It’s Fantastic!

poster.pngintro-by-simon.pngwelcome.pnghybrid-setup.pngpostersession.pngposter-discussion.png


The full program of the 2023 Bachelor Project Conference is available here. And you can find more information about the course / conference in the LAS Course Catalog.

Book presentation of Prof. Vogelmann's "Die Wirksamkeit des Wissens" (February 10)

Buchvorstellung Prof. VogelmannProf. Frieder Vogelmann will present his book "Die Wirksamkeit des Wissens – Eine politische Epistemologie" followed by a discussion moderated by Prof. Ulrich Bröckling with Prof. Nadja Germann, Prof. Nicola Gess, and Prof. Daniel Loick.

Political epistemology names a challenging task: in order to do justice to the internal relations between truth and knowledge on the one hand, and politics and society on the other, it must reformulate the concepts of both epistemology and social and political theory. For the concept of knowledge, this means taking equal account of the truth and efficacy of knowledge.

In his fundamental book, Vogelmann shows what far-reaching consequences this has: for the current debate about untruths in politics, for the possible forms of social criticism, and for philosophy's reflection on itself and its history.

When? February 10, 2023. 18:00-20:00
Where? HS 1098 (KG I) or via Livestream

For first insights into Frieder Vogelmann's definition of the essence of knowledge, please see the recent interview in the Badische Zeitung.

Lunch Lecture by Prof. Frieder Vogelmann (January 26)

Prof. Frieder Vogelmann will talk about "What Science? Whose Freedom? Mapping the Debates about Academic Freedom" at the next FRIAS Lunch Lecture.

In the heated debates about academic freedom in Germany, participants rarely take the time to specify their conceptions of "academic freedom." When asked, they frequently rely on the legal conception of academic freedom. Implicitly invoking a legal conception of academic freedom is especially popular in assessing examples of so-called "cancel culture" or "political correctness." Yet quite often, these examples cannot be interpreted to violate academic freedom in the narrow legal sense. Thus, the prevalent notion of academic freedom seems to be a broader conception than the legal one. In the talk, the contours of such a conception will be sketched by thinking through two requirements for any conception of academic freedom.

When? January 26, 2023. 12:15-13:00

Where? HS 1221 (KG I)

Join us! LAS Open Days and Application Dates 2023 (January 10)

Open Days 2023LAS Open Days 2023

  • Starting on January 27, we will host a series of Online Open Days. Meet staff and students for insights into and Q&As about the LAS Program.
  • In spring 2023, we invite prospective students, parents, and friends to our in-person Open Days at University College Freiburg: on May 12 and June 23. The program will include general presentations, an open information market, as well as campus tours. Exact dates and further information to follow soon!

LAS Application & Admissions 2023

The application period for starting the LAS Program in October 2023 is June 1 – July 15. For more information, please see our Application and Admissions pages. Please note: We are currently revising the LAS Admissions Regulations as well as our Guidelines for 2023. The Application and Admissions pages will soon be updated accordingly.

Application 2020 starts

From 2022 to 2023 and beyond

We thank all UCF supporters – students, staff, professors and many friends – for their commitment and engagement in 2022.

The past year 2022 was special in many regards, particularly as we commemorated and celebrated the 10th anniversary of University College Freiburg and of our Liberal Arts and Sciences study program.

Happy Holidays from UCF

Thank you Karla Williams for this year's card!

Looking ahead to 2023, we wish everybody a peaceful festive season and all the best for the New Year!

And, we can announce the following 2023 dates for prospective LAS students

Open Days 2023LAS Open Days 2023

  • Starting on January 27, we will host a series of Online Open Days.
  • In spring, May 12 and June 23, we will invite prospective students, parents, and friends to two in-person Open Days at University College Freiburg. Exact dates and programs to follow soon.

Application & Admissions 2023

The application period for starting the LAS Program in October 2023 is June 1 – July 15. For more information, please see our Application and Admissions pages, which we will update for 2023 in the next weeks.



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