University of Freiburg visits Adelaide
The University of Adelaide (UoA) was pleased to host a delegation from Germany’s University of Freiburg – a key strategic partner – at its North Terrace campus in February.
The visit was the first time the University of Freiburg’s Rector, Professor Dr Kerstin Krieglstein, has visited UoA in her capacity as Rector.
The partnership between the two institutions, established in 2008, focuses on the key themes of biomedicine and sustainability, energy and environment.
Professor Peter Høj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President, and Professor Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (External Engagement), hosted the Freiburg delegation, with the program including a series of meetings, the signing of a Joint PhD agreement, roundtable discussions on the key themes with theme leads, a dinner, and a presentation from the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute. The delegation also had a tour of the University of South Australia's Pharmacy Department.
UoA and the University of Freiburg share a vision of driving world-class research with lasting positive impact. Key initiatives of the partnership include jointly funded grants, a joint PhD program, professional staff exchanges, and student mobility programs.
Dr Laurine Kaul, a Research Group Leader from the University of Freiburg, graduated with a jointly-awarded PhD in medical specialties and pharmaceutical technology from Freiburg and UoA, and was part of the Freiburg delegation that visited Adelaide.
Laurine has won 10 awards for her PhD work, including UoA’s prestigious Doctoral Research Medal for outstanding PhD research, the Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, and 'summa cum laude' from Freiburg. Since graduating, she has published four first author papers and two co-author papers from her thesis, presented her work at 15 conferences, and now runs her own lab at Freiburg.
Her successes illustrate the significance of the Freiburg-Adelaide Joint PhD program in nurturing global talent to pursue impactful research.
Another key initiative of the partnership is a nursing study tour, where final year UoA nursing students visit academic and clinical facilities across Freiburg, collaborate with Freiburg academic staff, and participate in lectures, simulations and tutorials with local nursing students to gain an understanding of nursing education in Germany – one of the world’s education powerhouses.
The study tour has grown in attendance every year since the program began in 2018 and facilitates two-way knowledge sharing between the countries’ future nurses.
The partnership between the University of Adelaide and the University of Freiburg exemplifies the power of international collaboration in advancing research and education. Both institutions have a shared commitment to addressing global challenges and creating meaningful solutions for a sustainable and healthier world, and look forward to strengthening and expanding the partnership in the future.
