Research

LIGHT. LIFE. LIBERTY. In this profile, Friedrich Schiller University Jena unites its cutting-edge research and culture of active interdisciplinarity.

A researcher prepares an experiment with the amplifier of the POLARIS laser system.

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

Latest Research News

Exceptionally Well-Preserved Ant in Goethe’s Amber

Researchers at the University of Jena examine the collection of the famous poet
26 January 2026

Image: Bernhard Bock/Daniel Tröger
SPIE Honors Jürgen Popp for Bringing Biophotonics Closer to the Clinic

Jürgen Popp has received the 2026 SPIE Biophotonics Technology Innovator Award for his research into optical health technologies for medicine.
23 January 2026

Image: SPIE
University of Jena improves in several subjects in THE Subject Rankings 2026

Times Higher Education lists Friedrich Schiller University Jena in eight out of eleven disciplines—upward trend in four disciplines
21 January 2026

Image: Christoph Worsch

All short news

Excellence Strategy

The University of Jena is represented in the German research landscape with two Clusters of Excellence: the "Balance of the MicroverseExternal link" cluster (since 2019) and the newly approved "Imaginamics" cluster.

More information on the excellence strategy at the University of Jena

Preview image: André Gräf (jenaparadies) · Video: University of Jena

Research Profile

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is a research-oriented university with a broad range of subjects and a dense network of cooperations on a regional, national and international level. Their research success builds on discipline-oriented individual projects and on interdisciplinary, coordinated research networks. The university brings together its scientific strengths in its profile LIGHT.LIFE.LIBERTY. The profile guides research portfolio development at the University of Jena, and reflects its commitment to addressing societally relevant and future oriented research areas.

LIGHT, LIFE and LIBERTY

The three profile areas LIGHT, LIFE and LIBERTY bring together the university´s broad range of natural sciences, life sciences, humanities, and social sciences, and foster new academic impulses and innovative research projects through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Profile Areas
Research Focal Areas

The FSU’s research priorities are guided by its profile LIGHT. LIFE. LIBERTY. to integrate cutting-edge research across the natural and life sciences as well as the humanities and social sciences.
Interdisciplinary research
Research Projects

Coordinated projects of the German Research Foundation (DFG), federal funded top-level research and european research programmes at the University of Jena.
Coordinated Projects
Science Awards

Science prizes and awards are an important part of promoting science and research.
Honours
Rankings

The University of Jena has reached the top 200 univesites worlwide and the top 20 in Germany.
Top Positions
Research Strategy

The University of Jena´s strategy process ensures success and takes the changing framework conditions into account.
Strategy

Service for Researchers

The University of Jena supports its researchers in the application and implementation of research projects as well as in the initiation and implementation of research and cooperation projects with partners from science and industry along the entire innovation process.

Third-party funding portal and roadmap

You would like to apply for a third-party funded project? We advice you, from the application to the implementation of your project.

Image: Scott Graham on Unsplash
Research Funding

Advice and support in acquiring third-party funding for your research project.

Image: Bild von rawpixel auf Pixabay
Transfer

We offer you support, from the idea to the successful market launch.

Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)
Research Data Management
External link
Please find advice here, from data management plans to quality assurance for your research data.

Image: Roman Gerlach
Project Gender in Focus

The BMBF-funded project networks, promotes and supports gender-sensitive research.

Image: AI-generated
OpenIris

The OpenIRIS sharing platform enables researchers to share and manage scientific technologies and services in a sustainable way.

Image: JenaVersum

Events Research & Transfer

Research Data Management - Essentials for project coordinators
12 Feb 2026
10:00 ·
- Workshop
Workshop
- online
- barrier-free
- Subject to registration
Breaking the Bias: Exzellenz mit robuster Forschung schaffen

4 Mar 2026

10:00

Veranstaltung
- presence
Patentseminar I: Grundlagen des gewerblichen Rechtschutzes
4 Mar 2026
14:00 ·
- Informationsveranstaltung
- Workshop
Veranstaltung
- presence
- Subject to registration
Emmy Noether Mentoring. Coffee Break Session
12 Mar 2026
13:00 ·
- Informationsveranstaltung
Veranstaltung
- online
- barrier-free
- Subject to registration
Patentseminar II: Internationale Schutzrechtsanmeldungen
18 Mar 2026
14:00 ·
- Informationsveranstaltung
- Workshop
Veranstaltung
- presence
- Subject to registration
Patentseminar III: Patentdatenbanken als unterschätzte Informationsquelle
25 Mar 2026
14:00 ·
- Informationsveranstaltung
- Workshop
Veranstaltung
- presence
- Subject to registration

All events

Local. Regional. International - Our Network

Network

With the Friedrich Schiller University as the driving force, a unique culture of cooperation has developed in Jena. Here, the university, non-university research institutions, university hospital, university of applied sciences, foundations and high-tech industry work closely together to form a vibrant, productive and highly visible science and business region with partners all over the world.

Image: André Gräf (jenaparadies)