University of Jena facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Latin: Universitas Litterarum Jenensis
Type	Public
Established	February 2, 1558; 467 years ago (1558-02-02)
Budget	€ 372 million
President	Walter Rosenthal
Academic staff	3,415
Administrative staff	5,151
Students	18,219
Location	Jena , Thuringia , Germany
Campus	University town
Affiliations	Coimbra Group EUA

The University of Jena, also known as the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, is a public research university in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. It is often called Uni Jena for short.

This university started in 1558. It is one of the ten oldest universities in Germany. Many famous people have studied or taught here. Six Nobel Prize winners are connected to the university. The most recent was Herbert Kroemer in 2000, who won for physics.

The university is named after the famous poet Friedrich Schiller. He taught philosophy there a long time ago. Around that time, many important thinkers came to Jena. These included Johann Gottlieb Fichte, G. W. F. Hegel, and F. W. J. Schelling. They helped create new ideas in German philosophy and art.

As of 2014, about 19,000 students attend the university. There are also 375 professors. The current president, Walter Rosenthal, has been in charge since 2014.

A Look Back in Time: The University's History

University of Jena around 1600. It was a lively place for new ideas.

How It All Began

The idea for a university in Jena started in 1547. John Frederick of Saxony first thought of it. His three sons later made the plan happen. They got permission from Emperor Ferdinand I. The university officially opened on February 2, 1558.

It was first called the Ducal Pan-Saxon University. This was because different parts of Saxony helped run it. It was also known as Salana, named after the nearby river Saale.

The university became very famous in the 1700s. This was when Duke Charles Augustus was in charge. He was a friend of Goethe. During this time, many great minds taught at Jena. These included Gottlieb Fichte, G. W. F. Hegel, Friedrich Schelling, and Friedrich Schiller.

Friedrich Schiller, the famous poet and professor.

A Place for Freedom and New Ideas

From its start, the University of Jena was known for new ideas. It was one of the most open universities in Germany. Students at Jena were known for their love of Freiheit (freedom). This spirit of freedom was a big part of student life.

The university even has a historical detention room called a Karzer. Students who broke minor rules were sent there. It has funny drawings by the Swiss painter Martin Disteli.

In the late 1800s, the zoology department was very important. Scientists like Carl Gegenbaur and Ernst Haeckel taught evolutionary theory there. They published detailed ideas around the time Darwin's book "Origin of Species" came out. Ernst Haeckel became very well-known in Europe.

Ernst Haeckel, a key figure in evolutionary studies.

In 1905, Jena had 1,100 students. It also had 112 teachers. The university had many helpful places. These included a large library, an observatory, and a botanical garden. It also had institutes for theology, science, and medicine.

After 1918, the Saxon duchies ended. They joined with other areas to form the Free State of Thuringia. In 1921, the university was renamed the Thuringian State University. In 1934, it got its current name, Friedrich Schiller University.

Challenges and Growth

During the 1930s and 1940s, the university faced difficult times. In 1933, some professors had to leave. Later, in 1945, the university was badly damaged. This happened during Allied air raids on Jena. The library, main building, and several other parts were hit. The Botanical Garden and some science institutes were completely destroyed.

After these challenges, the university grew again. In the 20th century, it worked closely with the Zeiss company. This partnership brought more money and attention to Jena. It also led to many more students joining. The number of students grew almost twenty times since 1905. Today, Friedrich Schiller University is the only full university in Thuringia.

The inner courtyard and cafeteria of the Old University Building.

Working Together Today

Since 1995, Jena University has worked with two other universities. These are the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg and the University of Leipzig. This partnership helps students visit other universities easily. It also lets them study more subjects. For example, they work together on bioinformatics.

The universities also share ideas and start projects together. They even have joint sports activities. One big project that came from this group is the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv).

Since October 2014, Walter Rosenthal has been the university's president. The Chancellor, Klaus Bartholmé, has been in his role since 2007.

What You Can Study: University Departments

The Old University Building, a historic landmark.

The new Ernst-Abbe-Square, a modern part of the campus.

The university is divided into 10 main areas, called schools or faculties:

• theology (study of religion)
• jurisprudence (study of law)
• economics and business administration (how money and businesses work)
• humanities (subjects like history, languages, and philosophy)
• social and behavioural sciences (how people and societies work)
• mathematics and computer science
• physics and astronomy
• chemical and earth sciences (study of the Earth and its materials)
• biology and pharmacy (study of living things and medicines)
• medicine

Amazing Discoveries: University Research

Friedrich Schiller University is known for its research. It studies both humanities and sciences. Besides the main departments, there are special research centers. These are called "Collaborative Research Centers" (SFB). They work on big projects together.

Some of these research centers include:

• AquaDiva: Studies how water and underground life connect.
• FungiNet: Looks at how fungi (like mold) interact with humans.
• ChemBioSys: Studies how chemicals work in living systems.
• ReceptorLight: Uses special microscopes to see how cells work.
• Polymer-based nanoparticles: Develops tiny particles for health.
• CataLIGHT: Researches how light can help create new materials.
• NOA: Studies how light behaves at very small scales.

The university also takes part in other big research projects. For example, it helps with a project on how different cultures use manuscripts.

In 2006, the Jena Center – History of the 20th century was started. In 2007, the "Jena School for Microbial Communication" (JSMC) began. This school studies how tiny living things (microbes) communicate. In 2008, the Center for Molecular Biomedicine (CMB) was created. It focuses on health and medicine. The "Center of Advanced Research" (ZAF) was set up in 2014.

Jena University also helped start the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) in 2013. This center studies the variety of life on Earth.

The university is unique in Germany. It has special professors who study gravity and the Caucasus region.

University Rankings: How Jena Compares

Universities are often ranked to show how they compare globally. The University of Jena is recognized in several of these ranking systems.

• In 2024, the QS World University Rankings placed Jena at 461st in the world. It was 26th in Germany.
• The Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2024 put it between 201st and 250th globally. In Germany, it was 22nd to 24th.
• The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) for 2022 ranked it between 401st and 500th worldwide. It was 25th to 31st nationally.

Famous People: Faculty and Alumni

Cool Places to Visit: Museums and Collections

The University of Jena has many interesting collections open to the public. These are great places to learn new things!

• The Jena Phyletisches Museum is special in Europe. It shows the history of evolution.
• The Ernst-Haeckel-Memorialmuseum honors the famous scientist.
• The Mineralogical Collection has rocks and minerals. It even has items from Goethe's time.
• The Botanical Garden is the second oldest in Middle Europe. It has many plants.
• The Schiller Gardenhouse [de] and the Goethe Memorial are also open. They remind us of these two great thinkers.

Here are some other collections you can find:

• Oriental Collections / Papyrus Collection
  • Alphons-Stübel-Collection of Early Photographs from the Orient (1857–1890)
  • Hilprecht Collection
  • Orientalisches Münzkabinett (OMJ) (coin collection)
  • Papyrus Collection
• Archaeological Collections
  • Collection of Ancient Art
  • Collection of Plaster Casts of Ancient Sculpture
  • Photo- and Slide Collection of the Institute of Classical Archaeology
  • Collection of Prehistory and Early History
  • Bilzingsleben collection
  • Departement of Art History and Custodia
• Natural Sciences and Natural History
  • Ernst-Haeckel-Haus
  • Zygomycetes (Mould Fungi)
  • Didactics of Biology
  • Herbarium Haussknecht (JE) (plant collection)
  • Botanical garden
  • Phyletic Museum
• Mineralogy & Geology
  • Mineralogical Collection
  • Teaching Collection of Models for Mineralogy
• History of Sciences
  • Collection of scientific and technical devices for physics
  • Astronomical collection
• Medicine
  • Meyer Steineg Collection of Medical History in Jena
  • Anatomical Collection
  • Medical History
  • Goethe Memorial

Images for kids

• 

  The official logo of Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Jena para niños

• List of early modern universities in Europe
• The Collection of Pre- and Protohistoric Artifacts at the University of Jena