History
The University was founded in 1991.
Education
The University of Potsdam has already achieved an outstanding position among the universities and scientific institutions of Berlin and Brandenburg. It convinces with its great variety of programs and courses as well as with its distinct interdisciplinary research profile. Students can develop their individual aptitudes and talents in numerous one-major programs or combination courses. Some subjects you can study only at the University of Potsdam in this form. Among them are Jewish Studies, Patholinguistics or IT Systems Engineering at the affiliated Hasso Plattner Institute of Software Systems Engineering.
Research
The University of Potsdam is not only well connected internally but also to institutions outside. The university has found scientific partners of international standing with the Potsdam-Institute for Climate Impact Research and the German Institute of Human Nutrition, the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics as well as the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – German Research Centre for Geosciences. Close cooperation and joint professorships also exist with the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, and many other research institutions.
Career
In addition to education in their subjects, students can acquire important skills that help them to start their career. The Career Service, some institutes, and Potsdam Transfer, the short form for “Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Knowledge- and Technology- Transfer”, support them with their expertise in seeking a job or setting up a business.
Short Courses
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (1)
- Certificate Sustainable Development Academy
Humanities (1)
University Ranking
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2024
201
2023
201 50
2022
251
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2023
401
2022
401
2021
401
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
2024
460 141
2023
601 100
2022
701
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2024
-
2023
452 27
2022
479
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
Student services
The International Office is the competent authority for all international students. It does not only support them in their academic education at the University of Potsdam but also in mastering the challenges that are sometimes involved when staying in another country.
Potsdam presents itself as a city of science – open to the world and tolerant – with its international conferences, global networks, and research across borders. This also creates a good climate for visiting professors and Ph.D. candidates. They appreciate the proficient working conditions in a region with one of the highest densities of research institutions in Germany. For them, the “Welcome Center” is the first point of contact.
Housing services
You can apply for a room if your bachelor's/master’s degree at the University of Potsdam is your first bachelor's/master’s degree (worldwide). Students in the second bachelor's or master’s course are not eligible to live at Studentenwerk Potsdam! Please check the following wepage of the Studentenwerk if you are eligible to apply for a room.The Studentenwerk Potsdam offers furnished dormitory rooms in several student dormitories that exist at all of the University’s campuses.
Library services
- Departmental Library at the Neues Palais
- Departmental Library in Golm
- Departmental Library in Babelsberg
Campus life
The campus Am Neuen Palais, which is in the immediate proximity of the Park of Sanssouci, is home to the Faculty of Arts. In rural Golm, where one of the largest science parks of the region has grown, there are the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Human Sciences. The Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences and the Law Faculty are in Griebnitzsee. The University of Potsdam was newly founded in 1991 –organizationally, formally and with regard to its contents, but did not have to start from scratch with its buildings. While many of the listed buildings were extensively renovated during the first years, numerous new buildings were erected during the last decade.
Sports facilities
The University Athletic Department offers services and educational opportunities for students, staff, trainees and alumni of the University. School children and guests of the University are also welcome. The programs range from fitness clubs and courses to aquatics and competitive sports, and they include the possibility of acquiring key competences during bachelor studies. More than 100 sports courses provide an active counterbalance to scholarly work, no matter whether you are interested in team sports, cardio and weight training, or workshops on relaxation.
Student clubs
- Amnesty International.
- Arbeiterkinder e.V. (Association for working-class children)
- DGB Hochschulgruppe (student organization of the German Federation of Trade Unions)
- Die Linke. ...
- Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
- Evangelische Studierendengemeinde Potsdam (ESG - Protestant student organization Potsdam)
SUNY Potsdam is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).