University of Potsdam, Potsdam

The University of Potsdam is a prominent public university and the largest in the state of Brandenburg. It is the fourth-largest university in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area. Established in 1991, the university was formed through the amalgamation of the Karl Liebknecht College of Education, the Brandenburg State College, and several smaller institutions. As a result, the University of Potsdam maintains a strong emphasis on teacher training.

The university operates across three main campuses in Potsdam, with some of its facilities housed in historical buildings that are part of the New Palace of Sanssouci, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Notable sites include the university library, the Institute of History, and the Institute of Mathematics, which are located within the commons of the Sanssouci park.

The other two campuses, Babelsberg and Golm, also have historical significance. The Golm campus features buildings originally constructed in the 1930s for the Luftwaffe's intelligence department and later served as the site for the College of Law of the East German Ministry for State Security after World War II. The Babelsberg/Griebnitzsee campus hosts the Faculty of Law in former German Red Cross buildings from 1939/40, with additional lecture halls and facilities built in the 1950s for the Academy of Justice and the East German state behind Schloss Babelsberg.

The University of Potsdam is known for its academic excellence and innovative teaching methods. In 2009, it was recognized as a winner in the "Excellence in Teaching" initiative by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, highlighting its commitment to high-quality education. With over 8,000 staff members working in scholarship and science, the university is a significant contributor to the academic landscape in the region.