The Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (abbreviation: TU Bergakademie Freiberg, TUBAF) is a public

university of technology An institute of technology (also referred to as technological university, technical university, university of technology, polytechnic university) is an institution of tertiary education that specializes in engineering, technology, applied science ...

with 3,471 students in the city of

Freiberg Freiberg () is a university and former mining town in Saxony, Germany, with around 41,000 inhabitants. The city lies in the foreland of the Ore Mountains, in the Saxon urbanization axis, which runs along the northern edge of the Elster and ...

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The university's focuses are

exploration Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...

mining Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...

extraction Extraction may refer to: Science and technology Biology and medicine * Comedo extraction, a method of acne treatment * Dental extraction, the surgical removal of a tooth from the mouth Computing and information science * Data extraction, the ...

, processing, and

recycling Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the propert ...

of natural resources &

scrap Scrap consists of recyclable materials, usually metals, left over from product manufacturing and consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap can have monetary value, especially recover ...

, as well as developing new materials and researching renewable energies. It is highly specialized and proficient in these fields. Today, it is the oldest university of mining and

metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the ...

in the world.

History

Pre-1945

The institution was established in 1765, during the

Age of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment (also the Age of Reason and the Enlightenment) was a Europe, European Intellect, intellectual and Philosophy, philosophical movement active from the late 17th to early 19th century. Chiefly valuing knowledge gained th ...

, by

Prince Francis Xavier of Saxony Franz Xavier of Saxony () (25 August 1730 – 21 June 1806) was a Saxon prince and member of the House of Wettin. He was the fourth but second surviving son of Augustus III, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, and Maria Josepha of Austria. Li ...

based on plans by Friedrich Wilhelm von Oppel and

Friedrich Anton von Heynitz Friedrich Anton von Heynitz (14 May 1725 – 15 May 1802) was an aristocrat and cameralist in Saxony who founded the oldest mining school in the world, the Bergakademie Freiberg. He studied mining and was involved in reforming the mining and met ...

. At the time, it was called the ''Kurfürstlich-Sächsische Bergakademie zu Freiberg'' (by 1806: ''Königlich-Sächsische Bergakademie zu Freiberg''). Its main purpose was the education of highly skilled miners and

scientist A scientist is a person who Scientific method, researches to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engag ...

s in fields connected to mining and metallurgy. There had developed a need for mining, as an industry to regenerate Saxony's economy, since Saxony had been defeated in the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

. Before the establishment of the ''Bergakademie'' (mining school), four similar institutions had been founded in other countries: ''

Potosí Potosí, known as Villa Imperial de Potosí in the colonial period, is the capital city and a municipality of the Potosí Department, Department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the list of highest cities in the world, highest cities in the wo ...

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

'' (1757–1786); Kongsberg, Norway (1757–1814); ''Schemnitz'', today's

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

(''

Banská Štiavnica Banská Štiavnica (; ; , ) is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as the Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica has a population of ...

'', 1762–1919); and

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

(1762–1772). Since these do not exist anymore, Freiberg University is the oldest and still operational University of Mining and Technology. After the

École des Ponts et Chaussées École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...

, which was established in 1747, it is also the second oldest institution of higher learning with focus on STEM-research (

). The chemical elements

indium Indium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol In and atomic number 49. It is a silvery-white post-transition metal and one of the softest elements. Chemically, indium is similar to gallium and thallium, and its properties are la ...

(1863) and

germanium Germanium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white and similar in appearance to silicon. It is a metalloid or a nonmetal in the carbon group that is chemically ...

(1886) were discovered by scientists of Freiberg University. The

polymath A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...

Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 1769 – 6 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, natural history, naturalist, List of explorers, explorer, and proponent of Romanticism, Romantic philosophy and Romanticism ...

studied mining at the ''Bergakademie'' from 1791 to 1792, as did the poet

Novalis Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg (2 May 1772 – 25 March 1801), pen name Novalis (; ), was a German nobility, German aristocrat and polymath, who was a poet, novelist, philosopher and Mysticism, mystic. He is regarded as an inf ...

from 1797 to 1799. In 1899, it was incorporated as a

Technische Hochschule A ''Technische Hochschule'' (, plural: ''Technische Hochschulen'', abbreviated ''TH'') is a type of university focusing on engineering sciences in Germany. Previously, it also existed in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands (), and Finland (, ) ...

. In 1905, Bergakademie gained the right to grant

doctorates A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

in engineering (Dr.-Ing.), and in 1939 for natural sciences (Dr. rer. nat.). In 1940, two novel

faculties Faculty or faculties may refer to: Academia * Faculty (academic staff), professors, researchers, and teachers of a given university or college (North American usage) * Faculty (division), a large department of a university by field of study (us ...

(divisions) where established: Natural Sciences and Mining & Metallurgy. In 1956, another faculty concerning

economy An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...

was added.

1945 to 1990

After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, education of future engineers and scientists, as well as research were quickly re-established in order to (re-) build primary industry in the

Soviet Occupation Zone The Soviet occupation zone in Germany ( or , ; ) was an area of Germany that was occupied by the Soviet Union as a communist area, established as a result of the Potsdam Agreement on 2 August 1945. On 7 October 1949 the German Democratic Republ ...

GDR East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...

. The campus and faculty-staff were expanded rapidly. The educational direction changed through establishing novel courses. Also, the student demographics changed (percentage of women increased), since the access to college was directed by central authorities. Additionally, children of "workers & farmers", who traditionally didn't pursued

tertiary education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

, were supported by having a college preparation institute (''Arbeiter-und-Bauern-Fakultät'' (ABF) "Wilhelm Pieck").

Since 1990

In the aftermath of

German reunification German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...

, the infrastructure and academic body were reorganized in order to fit the new political circumstances. After its incorporation into the

West German West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republic after its capital c ...

system of higher education, Bergakademie quickly found a prime position as "The University of Resources". As the first

East German East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...

University, it joined the

German Research Foundation The German Research Foundation ( ; DFG ) is a German research funding organization, which functions as a self-governing institution for the promotion of science and research in the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2019, the DFG had a funding bud ...

. In connection, the social sciences section were eliminated, while a faculty for economics was restructured and expanded to 15 professorships. One of the emerging focus points in research was

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping level ...

s, which led to corporations settling in and around Freiberg. These include Siltronic AG, Meyer Burger Technology AG, and JT Energy Systems, specializing in semiconductors,

solar power Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...

, and

lithium-ion batteries A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses the reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into electronically conducting solids to store energy. Li-ion batteries are characterized by higher specific energy, energy ...

, respectively. Besides geo- and

materials sciences Materials science is an interdisciplinary field of researching and discovering materials. Materials engineering is an engineering field of finding uses for materials in other fields and industries. The intellectual origins of materials scien ...

, environmental science became a university strong point. In March 1993, then ''Technische Hochschule Bergakademie Freiberg'' was renamed ''Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg'', underlining its increased status and significance. Today, TUBAF is a modern & environmentally focused university, internationally recognized as a "university of closed resource cycles". The university's history is presented in the ''Historicum'' through numerous exhibits, paintings and photographs, and documents. The Forum for Mining History (''Forum Montangeschichte'') is responsible for

digitizing Digitization is the process of converting information into a digital (i.e. computer-readable) format.Collins Dictionary. (n.d.). Definition of 'digitize'. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english ...

and publishing historic essays and publications concerning Saxony's historical mining and metallurgical industry.

Historical figures and scientific achievements

A number of known figures studied and/or lectured at the Bergakademie:

Abraham Gottlob Werner Abraham Gottlob Werner (; 25 September 174930 June 1817) was a German geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and History of Earth, history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chem ...

(1749–1817) was a highly influential lecturer and scientist, who systematized minerals and rock formations. He is considered the founder of an early form of geology as a science, called 'geognosis'. Thus, he laid the foundation for

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical mineralogy, optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifact (archaeology), artifacts. Specific s ...

and resource deposit theory. During his tenure, he attracted a wide range of students and peers, among them

Franz Xaver von Baader Franz von Baader (27 March 1765 – 23 May 1841), born Benedikt Franz Xaver Baader, was a Catholic theologian, philosopher, and mining engineer from Germany. Resisting the empiricism of his day, he denounced most Western philosophy since ...

Leopold von Buch Christian Leopold von Buch (26 April 1774 – 4 March 1853), usually cited as Leopold von Buch, was a German geologist and paleontologist born in Stolpe an der Oder (now a part of Angermünde, Brandenburg) and is remembered as one of the most im ...

Friedrich Mohs Carl Friedrich Christian Mohs ( , ; 29 January 1773 – 29 September 1839) was a German chemist and mineralogist. He was the creator of the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Mohs also introduced a classification of the crystal forms in crysta ...

, and

Robert Jameson image:Robert Jameson.jpg, Robert Jameson Robert Jameson Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS FRSE (11 July 1774 – 19 April 1854) was a Scottish natural history, naturalist and mineralogist. As Regius Professor of Natural History at the Univers ...

Wilhelm August Lampadius Wilhelm August Lampadius was born in Hehlen, Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, on 8 August 1772 and died on 13 April 1842 in Freiberg, Kingdom of Saxony. He was a German pharmacist in Göttingen from 1785 until 1791. Also he was an "extraordinary prof ...

(1772–1842) was a professor of chemistry and metallurgy. He installed the first gas light on the European continent and advanced the technology to an industrial scale. Also, Lampadius founded the world's first chemical research laboratory in a university in 1796/97. The poet

(1772–1801; Georg Philipp Friedrich von Hardenberg) studied in Freiberg from 1797 through 1799. He also created his

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

for his literary works during this time. Many topics and themes of his work came from the mining culture surrounding him. The

enrolled on 14 June 1791 and went through a rather short, but intense program, qualifying him in natural sciences and metallurgy. He took a special interest in developing appliances, such as the "Licht-Erhalter". One of Humboldt's most famous discoveries was the vegetation underground, published in 1793 as "Flora Fribergensis". Many of the plants described were discovered and characterized by him. 1848 to 1851, Gustav Anton Zeuner studied in Freiberg. He later went on to lay the groundwork for thermodynamics as field of study in engineering. Karl Heinrich Adolf Bernhard Ledebur was one of the first to study processes in metallurgy and ironwork empirically with modern scientific tools and methods. During his tenure, he founded the university's iron laboratory. In 1863, the chemical element

was discovered by chemist Hieronymus Theodor Richter (1824–1898) and physicist

Ferdinand Reich Ferdinand Reich (19 February 1799 – 27 April 1882) was a German chemist who co-discovered indium in 1863 with Hieronymous Theodor Richter. Reich was born in Bernburg, Anhalt-Bernburg, Holy Roman Empire and died in Freiberg, Saxony, Freibe ...

(1799–1882), naming it after its indigo-blue colored flame. In 1886, chemistry professor Clemens Alexander Winkler (1838–1904) isolated the element

for the first time while analyzing the rather uncommon mineral

argyrodite Argyrodite is an uncommon silver germanium sulfide mineral with formula Ag8GeS6. The color is iron-black with a purplish tinge, and the luster metallic. Discovered and named by Albin Weisbach in 1886, it is of interest as it was the material fro ...

. This proved

Dmitri Mendeleev Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev ( ; ) was a Russian chemist known for formulating the periodic law and creating a version of the periodic table of elements. He used the periodic law not only to correct the then-accepted properties of some known ele ...

's periodic table and his prediction of a so-called ''ekasilicon.'' In the field of

process engineering Process engineering is a field of study focused on the development and optimization of industrial processes. It consists of the understanding and application of the fundamental principles and laws of nature to allow humans to transform raw mate ...

, Erich Rammler and Georg Bilkenroth were awarded the National Prize of the German Democratic Republic (1st class) for their work on

lignite Lignite (derived from Latin ''lignum'' meaning 'wood'), often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered the lowest ...

coke &

coal gasification In industrial chemistry, coal gasification is the process of producing syngas—a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (), carbon dioxide (), methane (), and water vapour ()—from coal and water, air and/or oxygen. H ...

in 1951.

Profile

The university has defined core fields that create a unique profile in education and research:

Geo

Exploring, researching, and (resourceful) use of the system Earth is the focal point of TUBAF's geosciences. The work is based on innovative and novel technologies, e.g. for finding resources, extracting them without unnecessary destruction, and resourceful processing.

Materials

Innovative materials for today's problems and uses are being developed. This includes the making, as well as recycling of these materials.

Energy

In this field, scientists develop new, green solutions to energy problems. Production, use, and storage of energy are researched in conjunction. Additionally, digitisation of the energy sector is another topic.

Environment

Environmental sciences focus on safety and conservation aspects, e.g. of drinking water, as well as on processes in the primary and energy industry.

Technology

Engineers work on future-oriented solutions, novel products, and optimization of already existing processes & methods. Their studies include applied research as well as foundational questions.

Economics

Economic topics arise from all of the fields mentioned above. Therefore, researchers in this field work on projects in pure economic disciplines and interdisciplinary projects alike.

Research

TUBAF describes itself as a modern research university, especially focused on current and future ecological and econonmical challenges. Interdisciplinary research is emphasized. Most investigated topics revolve around alternative methods in resource extraction, energy systems, compound materials and recycling. The university is recognized worldwide for its expertise in geo and materials science. TUBAF is in the Top 10 of universities in Germany based on thrd-party (private) funding per professor, according to a 2022 study. A number of patents and inventions by TUBAF-based researchers are recognized each year. With ''SAXEED'', a founders network, start-ups are being supported. The program has helped several successful companies like ''NaPaGen GmbH'', ''Just in Time-Food GmbH'' and ''Rockfeel GmbH.''

Programs

The university offers programs taught in German, as well as international programs entirely taught in English. All in all, there are 75 programs. Among those are unique ones, such as Applied Natural Sciences, Industrial Archeology, Mine-Surveying, and Chemistry (Diplom), which are taught in German. Admission to all programs from Bachelor through Ph.D. is performance-based and without tuition fees (as usual for consecutive studies at German public universities); students pay a registration fee of €94 per semester, of which €7 is dedicated solely to the Student Body (Council). 13 masters programs (date: WS 2022/23) are taught in English: * Advanced Materials Analysis (AMA) * Advanced Mineral Resource Development (AMRD) * Computational Materials Science (CMS) * EMerald master in Resources Engineering (EMerald) * Geomatics for Mineral Resource Management * Geoscience * Groundwater Management * International Business and Resources in Emerging Markets (IBRE) * Mathematics for Data and Resource Sciences * Mechanical and Process Engineering (MPE) * Metallic Materials Technology (MMT) * Sustainable Mining and Remediation Management (MoRe) * Sustainable and Innovative Natural Resource Management (SINReM) * Technology and Application of Inorganic Engineering Materials (TAIEM) Freiberg University of Mining and Technology has been ranked among the best universities worldwide for

mining engineering Mining engineering is the extraction of minerals from the ground. It is associated with many other disciplines, such as mineral processing, exploration, excavation, geology, metallurgy, geotechnical engineering and surveying. A mining engineer m ...

. Though a public university, it has a relatively large private endowment. The university is home to one of the largest German university foundations.

Structure

TU Bergakademie Freiberg is led by a rectorate, legislative decisions are made by the senate or extended senate. The rectorate consists of rector, chancellor, and two prorectors for Education and Research, respectively. The university has 6 subdivisions called faculties: # Mathematics and Computer Science # Chemistry and Physics # Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining # Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering # Materials Science and Technology # Economics

Student body

In winter 2022/23 3,471 students were enrolled at TUBAF, 85% in MINT-programs, with a 30% female share. Freiberg is a highly international university. Among its c. 3500 students, 41% are from foreign countries. There are double degree agreements with universities in China, France, Ghana, Italy, Poland, Russia, Thailand, and others. About 30% of the doctoral degrees awarded by the university are given to foreign students.

Campus, institutes & facilities

Campus

Unlike other historical universities in Germany, TUBAF has a campus with most of its buildings and facilities in close proximity. The oldest buildings lie in the historic (medieval) city center, among these the * Main Buildung - administration, student office, and Faculty 1 * Schlossplatzquartier - Faculty 6, international office, SIZ (student café) * Alte Mensa - former dining hall, now eent location and student-run bar * Werner-Bau - Faculty 3 The majority of the university's infrastructure can be found in the north of the city, including * Library "Gregorius Agricola" * Dining Hall "Neue Mensa" with cafeteria and a student-run bar * several buildings of Faculties 1 through 5 * student housing (dorms) The two main parts are connected by a so-called 'corridor' of recent buildings and greenery. Additionally, a part of the university is located above and around the "Lehr- und Forschungsbergwerk Reiche Zeche", a historical mine, operated today as a teaching and research facility. Other infrastructure includes the university sports centre, Lessing-Bau and the Scientific Diving Center.

Institutes and facilities

Through its specialization, TUBAF has created a number of institutions, centers, and facilities with state-of-the-art research equipment. Unique in Europe is the still operational mine for teaching as well as underground exploration research. TUBAF is one of two German institutions, where scientific divers are trained.

List of notable facilities

* EIT RawMaterials – Regional Center Freiberg (RCF) * ERP-Kompetenzzentrum sächsischer Hochschulen * Forschungs- und Lehrbergwerk "Reiche Zeche" * Interdisziplinäres Ökologisches Zentrum (IÖZ) * Zentrales Reinraumlabor (ZRL) * Zentrum für effiziente Hochtemperatur-Stoffwandlung (ZeHS) * Biohydrometallurgical Center for Strategic Elements (BHMZ) * DBI Bergakademie * Freiberger Hochdruckforschungszentrum (FHP) * Mine Water Research Center (MWRC) * Scientific Diving Center Freiberg (SDC Freiberg) * Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz (ZIK) VIRTUHCON * Zentrum für Wasserforschung (ZeWaF)

Partners & cooperations

TU Bergakademie Freiberg has an extensive network of regional and national cooperation partners in science and industry. These include, among others, affiliated institutes as independent research facilities that cooperate with the university and complement its teaching and research offerings. These include: * IBEXU Institut für Sicherheitstechnik GmbH Freiberg * Forschungsinstitut für Leder und Kunststoffbahnen (FILK) gGmbH Freiberg * Stahlzentrum Freiberg e. V. * Institut für Korrosionsschutz Dresden GmbH * UVR – FIA GmbH Verfahrensentwicklung-Umweltschutztechnik-Recycling Freiberg * DBI – Gastechnologisches Institut GmbH Freiberg * HAVER ENGINEERING GmbH – Ingenieurbüro für Aufbereitungstechnik, Meißen * DBI VIRTUHCON GmbH, Freiberg * PARFORCE Engineering & Consulting GmbH, Freiberg In addition, there are cooperations and joint projects with non-university institutions. In 2011, the university founded the joint Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology ("Helmholtz-Institut Freiberg für Ressourcentechnologie") with the

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) is a Dresden-based research laboratory. It conducts research in three of the Helmholtz Association's areas: materials, health, and energy. HZDR is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German R ...

to develop technologies for raw material supply, utilization and environmentally friendly recycling. TU Bergakademie Freiberg also has close cooperation in the field of electronic material production and material processing with the Fraunhofer Technology Center for High Performance Materials (THM) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg. It also operates a joint department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology (IISB) in Erlangen. The Institute of Geophysics at TU Bergakademie Freiberg operates the Berggießhübel Seismological Observatory. TUBAF is also a co-initiator of the university-based "Internationalen Hochschulinstituts Zittau" (IHI), founded in 1993 and now a subdivision of

TU Dresden TU Dresden (for , abbreviated as TUD), also as the Dresden University of Technology, is a public research university in Dresden, Germany. It is the largest institute of higher education in the city of Dresden, the largest university in Saxony a ...

, and the start-up network ''SAXEED''. In addition to direct cooperation with individual companies and institutions, participation in international networks and associations is an essential instrument for the transfer of ideas, knowledge and technology. The TU Bergakademie Freiberg is, among others, a member of: * Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg e. V. (GKZ) * EIT RawMaterials * Silicon Saxony * EnergieRohstoff-Netzwerk (ERN) * Freiberger Interessengemeinschaft der Recycling- und Entsorgungsunternehmen e. V. (FIRE) * InnoRegio Mittelsachsen * Interdisziplinäres Kompetenzzentrum Flächenrecycling CiF e. V. Freiberg/Berlin/Aachen * World Energy Council (WEC) * Deutsch-Russischen Rohstoff-Forum (DRRF)* * German Resource Research Institute (GERRI) * Energy Saxony e. V. * biosaxony e. V. * Leichtbau-Allianz Sachsen e. V. * GlasCampus Torgau * AMZ Sachsen * 4transfer Innovations- und Transferverbund * TransferAllianz e. V. In total, the university cooperates with 274 partner institutions in 74 countries. Connections to non-European companies and research institutions exist, among others, to Bolivia, Chile, China, Mozambique, South Africa, Vietnam and Mongolia. 2In Mongolia and Kenya, for example, TU Bergakademie Freiberg is helping to establish the German Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology (GMIT) in Ulan Bator and the Kenyan German Centre for Mining, Environmental Engineering and Resource Management (CEMEREM) at Taita Taveta University College in Voi. It is also active in research and teaching with a wide variety of projects at universities in Russia*, South America, Asia and Africa. All in all, TUBAF currently has 184 active partnerships (including 76 ERASMUS agreements & 18 interdisciplinary university cooperations), 755 official contacts with other universities worldwide, and Joint-/Double-Degree-agreements with partner universities in China, France, Ghana, Italy, Poland, Thailand, Czech Republic, Hungary and Ukraine. Contracts with Russian universities have been suspended due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Foundations and trusts

The history of foundations for the Freiberg Mining Academy dates back to 1702, when a scholarship fund was established by the Saxon Elector at the Freiberg Mining Authority. In the further course, the university repeatedly received grants, which were initially primarily used to support students, and later increasingly for research infrastructure. After 1990, the idea of foundations and trusts, which had been interrupted after the Second World War, was revived. The following important foundations were established: * Sparkassen-Stiftung (1998) * Stiftung Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (2002) * Pohl-Ströher-Mineralienstiftung (2004) * Dr.-Erich-Krüger-Stiftung (2006) * Stiftung Mineralogische Sammlung Deutschland (2008) * Dr. Frank-Michael und Marianne Engel-Stiftungsfonds (2009) * Heinisch-Stiftung (2015) * Ursula und Prof. Dr. Wolf-Dieter Schneider Stiftung (2019) * Stiftung Christian Grosse Geschichtsbibliothek (2019) From the Dr.-Erich-Krüger-Stiftung, TUBAF received an amount of several millions, the largest endowment of a state university in Germany to date. The university uses these funds to equip research with large-scale equipment and to support doctoral students. On July 12, 2007, Peter Krüger, who had been appointed honorary senator of the Bergakademie shortly before, died in Munich. His wife Erika Krüger, who was made an honorary senator of the university in 2017, continues the foundation. Among other things, she made possible the establishment of the Graduate and Research Academy, the Freiberg Biohydrometallurgical Center and the Freiberg High Pressure Research Center. Erika Krüger also supports the university privately with great commitment and considerable financial resources - including "Deutschlandstipendium" scholarships for particularly committed students.

Collections

Since its foundation in 1765, TUBAF has had premises to house its models, equipment, specimens and instruments used in research and teaching. In addition to the library, where manuscripts, maps and cracks were also kept, the geoscientific collections emerged from the so-called "Stufenenkabinett". There was also a collection of models of innovative mining machines, which were produced in a separate workshop from 1840 and later housed in a separate model room. Over the last 250 years, a large number of new technical collections have been added. Today, they comprise more than one million scientific specimens, 15,000 scientific instruments and models, and about 1,000 works of art and cultural-historical objects. The geoscientific collections of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg are among the ten oldest as well as most extensive geoscientific and mining collections in the world. They serve practical student education and training, complement research, and still embody enormous scientific potential today. About five percent of the total holdings are displayed in the show collections. These include a Mineralogical Collection, a Deposit Collection and a Petrological Collection in the Werner Building, a Paleontological and Stratigraphical Collection in the Humboldt Building and a Fuel Geological Collection near the Rich Colliery. Since October 2008, TU Bergakademie Freiberg has also exhibited the world's largest private mineral collection in Freudenstein Castle. The permanent exhibition ''terra mineralia'' is on permanent loan from the Swiss patron Erika Pohl-Ströher and celebrated its tenth anniversary in April 2019. The minerals of German sites of the famous Pohl-Ströher Mineral Foundation as well as special mineral specimens from the Geosciences Collections of TUBAF and minerals from the university foundation "Mineralogische Sammlung Deutschland" (Mineralogical Collection Germany), established in 2008, are on display in the Krügerhaus, which was renovated in 2012 by the Dr.-Erich-Krüger-Stiftung.The exhibition is open to the public. In the Historicum, the university presents numerous exhibits, pictures and contemporary documents in a vivid way. In the Forum Montangeschichte one can find since 2015 digitized and in full text freely available historical essays on Saxon mining and metallurgical history, including previously unpublished works, as well as current publications.

Notable alumni

Luo Gan Luo Gan (; born July 18, 1935) is a retired Chinese politician. Between 2002 and 2007, Luo was one of China's top leaders, serving as a member of the nine-man Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and as the Secretary of ...

, former Member of the

Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party The Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), officially the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is a committee consisting of the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) an ...

. * Mary Hegeler Carus – the first woman to legally enroll (in 1885). * Edward Renouf, chemistry professor, Johns Hopkins University. *

, renowned naturalist, historian, and humanitarian

Logos

File:Logo TU Freiberg.svg, Until 2013 File:Logo TU Bergakademie Freiberg.svg, 2013-2023 File:TUBAF Siegel.svg, Since May 2023

International University Rankings

The 2021 QS World University Rankings by subject rated TU Bergakademie Freiberg No. 17 for Mineral and Mining worldwide and No. 3 in Europe. The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) ranked TU Freiberg 64th among German universities on research performance.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Schools of mines Educational institutions established in 1765 1765 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire Freiberg Mining in the Ore Mountains Universities and colleges in Saxony Technische Universitäten in Germany