Free Adventist University Giessen

Free Theological University Giessen is a private, state-licensed academic institution located in Giessen (Hesse), Germany, which is a leading institution for education and research in Evangelical scholarship. The institution operates independently of governmental and traditional church support, thereby establishing a distinct theological profile. The institutions attract a multi-denominational multipurpose community of students, faculty and staff who provide an environment in which academic excellence is combined with a commitment to biblical foundations of faith and the development of personal character.

The institution's origin is traced to 1974 when it began as the Free Theological Academy Seeheim (FTA) under the founding leadership of Its first Rector, Cleon Rogers Jr., in order to provide an alternative to the liberal theological paradigm existing during that period in history. The academy moved to Giessen in 1981; as a way to continue the advancement of the institution as well as the establishment of additional facilities necessary for the development of the institution; and the development of students studying to become theologically educated. The institution experienced a significant development during the 2008 academic year when the institution was awarded official state recognition as a university. With this statement, the institution changed its name from Free Theological Academy to Free Theological University establishing itself as an academic institution. As an academic institution, the institution underwent a process of growth culminating in the establishment of a new campus and an entirely new main building that was constructed in 2022.