The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the largest funding organisation in the world supporting the international exchange of students and scholars. Since it was founded in 1925, more than 1.5 million scholars in Germany and abroad have received DAAD funding. It is a registered association and its members are German institutions of higher education and student bodies. Its activities go far beyond simply awarding grants and scholarships. The DAAD supports the internationalisation of German universities, promotes German studies and the German language abroad, assists developing countries in establishing effective universities and advises decision makers on matters of cultural, education and development policy.

S. Fischer is one of the largest trade publishers in Germany and is known throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland for publishing high quality books. It has published works by internationally renowned authors such as Thomas Mann, J.M. Coetzee, Roger Willemsen, Franz Kafka, Stefan Zweig, Robert Gernhardt, Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Alice Munro.

Freie Universität Berlin was founded on December 4, 1948, by students, scholars, and scientists with the support of the American allied forces and politicians in Berlin. The move was sparked by the persecution faced by students who took a critical eye of the system at the former Universität Unter den Linden, at that time located in the Soviet sector of the divided city. Students and academics wanted to be free to pursue their learning, teaching, and research activities at Freie Universität, without being subject to political influence. It now has about 28.500 students, 11 Academic Departments, 1 joint Medical School with Humboldt-Universität and 3 Central Institutes.