page_title: Viadrina European University
section_title: New Viadrina
hierarchical_section_title: Viadrina European University / New Viadrina
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Hauptgebäude der Europa-Universität Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). English: Main building of the University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder).
context_page_description: Viadrina European University is a university located at Frankfurt in Brandenburg, Germany. It is also known as the University of Frankfurt. The city is on the Oder River, which marks the border between Germany and Poland. With 5,200 students — around 1,000 of whom come from Poland — and some 160 teaching staff, the Viadrina is one of Germany's smallest universities.
  The Latin word Viadrina means "belonging to, or situated at, the Oder River"; it derives from Viadrus, the name of a presumed river god of the Oder. Actually, an ancient name of the river is not documented, it is mentioned as Oddera in the 991 Dagome iudex referring to the realm of Prince Mieszko I of Poland. The Latin name was probably introduced the Frankfurt scholar Jodocus Willich and appeared in the Cosmographia by Sebastian Münster in 1544; the city of Frankfurt was known in Latin as Francofortum ad Viadrum.
context_section_description: In 1991 the university was re-established as Viadrina European University. It currently comprises three faculties: Economics and Business Studies; Law; and Cultural Studies. A prime focus of the educational program is to attract students from throughout Europe in order to create a multinational student body. Currently about 40 percent of the students are foreigners (mostly Polish), a greater proportion than at other German universities.
  Viadrina European University maintains close cooperation with Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. The two universities jointly operate the Collegium Polonicum, located just opposite Viadrina on the Polish side of the Oder River.
  Notable among the research institutions at Viadrina University is the Frankfurt Institute of Transformational Studies (FIT). The Institute is a substantial contributor to research on economies in transition.
  The university's former president, Professor Gesine Schwan, ran for President of Germany both in 2004 and 2009, being narrowly defeated by Horst Köhler twice.
  Former diplomat Gunter Pleuger has served as the university's president since October 1, 2008. Pleuger was followed by slavicist Alexander Wöll on October 1, 2014.
caption: The front portal of the main building of the Viadrina
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