Franco-German University
The Franco-German University (FGU) is a cooperative network of German and French universities. It isn’t a university itself; it helps students study at multiple partner institutions in both countries and earns them a double degree.
Its roots go back to the Franco-German College for Higher Education (founded in 1988). In September 1997, the Weimar Agreement announced plans to create the Franco-German University, and it began operating a couple of years later.
The FGU is based in Saarbrücken, Germany, and serves France, Germany, and wider Europe. It funds and coordinates double degrees, international doctorates, and joint research projects, promoting mobility and collaboration across institutions.
Key facts:
- Members: 208 universities and colleges (as of 2016/17); 34 partner institutions are in third countries (Europe, Canada, Japan, Morocco, etc.).
- Languages: French and German.
- Students: more than 6,100 students in 196 study programs (as of 2023).
- Governance: President Eva Martha Eckkrammer; Vice President Philippe Gréciano; a joint secretariat; University Council of 22 members; Assembly of Member Universities meets annually.
- Funding: equally provided by the French and German governments.
- Website: dfh-ufa.org.
The FGU is widely regarded as a valuable umbrella that enables many French and German higher education institutions to cooperate across all fields.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 03:34 (CET).