IAF - The INstitute for applied research 

The Institute for Applied Research (IAF) at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Freiburg represents the university’s key internal research body and acts to focus and coordinate all university research activities. The institute has been active in this role since 1996.

The IAF, as a non-profit institute, is financed via third-party funding obtained through research grants, as well as through various contracts and service orders. The research activities located at the IAF include "classical" research projects which attract financial support through third-party funding lines within the framework of public calls for proposals, e.g., calls for proposals by federal or state ministries. Other research activities located at the institute can be defined as research contracts for non-profit institutions and other clients, the goals of which are exclusively and directly related to non-profit, charitable, or church-related purposes. In addition, specific research projects carried out at the IAF may include consulting services or research leading to results with commercial applications. Finally, projects associated with university development may also be initiated via the IAF’s infrastructure.