Disclaimer : The following list includes academic institutes that offer European degrees or courses in Forensic Anthropology or related fields. This list is not exhaustive, and therefore may not include all the relevant institutes. If you are aware of any omissions, please let us know (contact@forensicanthropology.eu).
FASE has no information on the quality of these courses, and inclusion in the list does not imply that FASE endorse the institute or course.
Austria
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna
Belgium
Centre de médecine légale de Charleroi
Croatia
Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb
Czech Republic
Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Prague
Institutute of Anthropology, Brno
Denmark
Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen
France
UMR 7268-ADES, Marseille
Service de Médecine Légale et Droit de la Santé, Université de Lorraine, Nancy
Germany
Interdisziplinäre Anthropologie, Albert-Ludwig-University Freiburg
Forensic & Biological Anthropology, University Clinic Freiburg
Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz
Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Biology LM University, München
Greece
Department of Animal and Human biology, National and Kapodistiran University of Athens
Italy
LABANOF, Milano
Netherlands
Barge’s Anthropologica Leiden, Leiden University Medical Center
Faculty of Archaeology Leiden, Leiden University
Portugal
Department of Life Science, University of Coimbra
Forensic Sciences Center in Coimbra
Slovakia
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava
Spain
Physical and Forensic Anthropology, University of Granada
Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona
University of Complutense, Madrid
Switzerland
Institute of Anthropology, University of Zurich
UK
You find a list of institutes who offer degrees and courses about Human Identification and FA on the website of BAHID (British Association For Human Identification) and BAFA (British Association for Forensic Anthropology).
Forensic Anthropology, The University of Edinburgh
Austria
The Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna was founded more than 100 years ago and is the only biologically oriented anthropology at university level in Austria. The department was recently growing significantly by incorporating new workgroups. Thus our portfolio is now covering a broad range of approaches to study the evolution of humans from different perspectives, including the history of their ancestors and closest relatives. The eleven leaders of workgroups are well established in the scientific community and maintain numerous links to research institutions in the world.
Our workgroups cover topics in the field of human evolution from functional morphology, paleogenomics, paleoproteomics, bioinformatics, isotopes, and radiocarbon dating to evolutionary demography, human life history, history of pathogenes, bioarchaeology, human behavioural biology, animal domestication, and human ecology.
The Department of Evolutionary Anthropology is also at the core of the research network “Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences – HEAS” with the goal to study human biological and cultural evolution together in an interdisciplinary network.
Please use the links for more information about the different research teams and the people involved. Furthermore you will find news and links about the different groups and partners involved.
For students the Teaching and Student Info navigation points provide necessary information about courses, examinas and excursions as well as teaching materials.
Our mission is to advance, increase, and disseminate knowledge about human evolution through research, teaching, publishing, and other forms of outreach to the general public.
Croatia
The Institute for Anthropological Research is a public research institute based in Zagreb, Croatia, that carries out scientific, expert and educational activity in the field of anthropology as a medical, natural, biotechnological, social and humanistic science. Researchers at the Institute have different basic education (medical doctors, molecular biologists, archaeologists, social anthropologists, forensic scientists, psychologists, chemists, etc.) and are oriented towards anthropology during their PhD studies or through their research projects. Such diverse profiles of the Institute’s staff allows inter- and multidisciplinarity in designing and implementing research. The Institute possesses rich biobank and human skeletal collections. The Institute’s activities are funded by Croatia’s state budget, and national and international foundations and programmes, such as National Institutes of Health (USA), EU framework programmes for research and innovation, and others. Since its establishment, the Institute has been continuously striving for scientific excellence and global networking, it is connected with top-class leading organizations, and it is open for new collaborations in future projects.
Czech Republic
The Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics deals with human biological research of current and past populations. A wide range of research topics ranging from retrospective anthropology to research into the variability of today’s man are solved within the department. The department is further divided into the following research laboratories:
- Bone Tissue Anthropology Lab (LAKT)
- Laboratory of 3D Imaging and Analytical Methods (L3D)
- Laboratory of Biomedical Anthropology (LBA)
- Lab of Molecular Anthropology (LMA)
The first two laboratories work with skeletal material and study mainly human morphological variability. The LAKT focuses on the study of functional adaptation in the skeleton, derivation of behaviour in past populations and taphonomic changes to the skeleton. At the same time, the LAKT uses the possibilities of experimental testing of biomechanical models. The L3D uses the methods of virtual anthropology and focuses on retrospective anthropology, as well as on forensic and biomedical research. Questions of craniofacial growth of the current population, including soft tissues, and postoperative development of various congenital malformations with facial malformations are addressed.
Two other workplaces deal with morphological and genetic variability of the current human population. The LBA focuses on postnatal growth and human development in connection with lifestyle changes and their reflection in morphological and functional somatic parameters. The LMA is engaged in the study of molecular genetic aspects of autoimmune and polygenic diseases. In addition, variability in the human genome and the immune response is studied in the workplace.
The department cooperates with other institutions, such as the Institute of Archaeology of CAS, the National Museum, IKEM (Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine), Faculty of Mathematics and Physics (Charles University), CTU (Czech Technical University in Prague), Institute of Endocrinology, which are involved in solving research problems, teaching and conducting student work.
Denmark
The Department of Forensic Medicine carries out forensic examinations for the police, the courts and other authorities in Denmark, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands.
Forensic examinations in Denmark are carried out by universities in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense. This is to ensure that they are carried out independently of the judiciary and to ensure that they are of high professional and scientific quality.
Forensic examinations are an important factor in many court cases and decisions made by the Danish authorities.
Organization
The Department of Forensic Medicine is led by Niels Lynnerup, MD, DMSc and is divided into three sections: Section of Forensic Chemistry, Section of Forensic Genetics and Section of Forensic Pathology (which also includes the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology). Each section undertakes research and teaching in their own fields.
Section of Forensic Chemistry
Our primary practical duty is to carry out toxicological analyses of biological samples. These samples may consist of blood, urine, hair, and various forms of tissue. We also analyse non-biological materials such as tablets, powders or other objects to determine whether they contain drugs. The section has around 40 employees which includes forensic chemists, PhD students, laboratory technicians, IT developers and secretaries.
Section of Forensic Genetics
The section serves as the national laboratory for DNA analyses in criminal, paternity and family reunion cases commissioned by the police, the judicial system, government authorities, the Danish Immigration Service, etc. It does not perform genealogical analyses for private individuals. The section employs some 100 people, including forensic geneticists, laboratory and secretarial staff and IT developers.
Section of Forensic Pathology
The section handles forensic examinations of the living and dead for the police districts in Eastern Denmark. The forensic examinations of the dead include, among other things, site investigations, medico-legal examinations and autopsies. Examinations of the living are personal examinations of victims and suspected perpetrators. The department also conducts forensic anthropological studies of bones and human remains. The section has approximately 70 employees, including doctors, dentists, forensic anthropologists, secretaries, forensic and laboratory technicians.
France
The Department of Forensic Medicine carries out forensic examinations for the police, the courts and other authorities in Denmark, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands.
Forensic examinations in Denmark are carried out by universities in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense. This is to ensure that they are carried out independently of the judiciary and to ensure that they are of high professional and scientific quality.
Forensic examinations are an important factor in many court cases and decisions made by the Danish authorities.
Organization
The Department of Forensic Medicine is led by Niels Lynnerup, MD, DMSc and is divided into three sections: Section of Forensic Chemistry, Section of Forensic Genetics and Section of Forensic Pathology (which also includes the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology). Each section undertakes research and teaching in their own fields.
Section of Forensic Chemistry
Our primary practical duty is to carry out toxicological analyses of biological samples. These samples may consist of blood, urine, hair, and various forms of tissue. We also analyse non-biological materials such as tablets, powders or other objects to determine whether they contain drugs. The section has around 40 employees which includes forensic chemists, PhD students, laboratory technicians, IT developers and secretaries.
Section of Forensic Genetics
The section serves as the national laboratory for DNA analyses in criminal, paternity and family reunion cases commissioned by the police, the judicial system, government authorities, the Danish Immigration Service, etc. It does not perform genealogical analyses for private individuals. The section employs some 100 people, including forensic geneticists, laboratory and secretarial staff and IT developers.
Section of Forensic Pathology
The section handles forensic examinations of the living and dead for the police districts in Eastern Denmark. The forensic examinations of the dead include, among other things, site investigations, medico-legal examinations and autopsies. Examinations of the living are personal examinations of victims and suspected perpetrators. The department also conducts forensic anthropological studies of bones and human remains. The section has approximately 70 employees, including doctors, dentists, forensic anthropologists, secretaries, forensic and laboratory technicians.