UBIAS stands for 'University-Based Institutes for Advanced Study'. UBIAS are associated with or embedded within a university, and actively contribute to the academic culture and the scientific achievements of their home university.
UBIAS institutes bring together outstanding researchers from different disciplines, nationalities and academic backgrounds, creating a productive environment for innovative research. These common characteristics have proved to be a fruitful basis for mutual exchange, although the individual institutes display a large variety of different concepts and academic pursuits. With their individual profiles, they answer to the specific needs and strengths of their affiliate university. While many institutes have traditionally concentrated on humanities and social sciences, an increasing number of institutes now incorporate theoretical and experimental sciences.