The Freie Universität Berlin is one of the four research universities in Berlin, Germany. Research at the university is focused on the humanities and social sciences, as well as on health and natural sciences. Founded in West Berlin during the early Cold War period and born out of the increasingly Communist-controlled Humboldt University, its name refers to West Berlin's status as part of the free world, as opposed to the Soviet-occupied areas surrounding the city. The Freie Universität Berlin was one of nine German top-universities to win in the German Universities Excellence Initiative, a national competition for universities organized by the German Federal Government. Winning a distinction for five doctoral programs, three interdisciplinary research clusters and its overall institutional strategy, the Freie Universität Berlin was the single most successful university in the initiative. In university rankings, the Freie Universität Berlin ranks among the best German universities; it has established a strong international showing in the Arts & Humanities followed by the Social Sciences and Law, making it one of Europe's top institutions in these fields. Wikipedia [ - ]

The Freie Universität Berlin is one of the four research universities in Berlin, Germany... [ + ]