Freie Universität Berlin is the home of three central institutes that combine specialized academic disciplines with regional expertise. These are the John-F.-Kennedy-Institute for North American Studies, the Institute for Latin American Studies, and the Institute for East European Studies. The economics faculty working in the three central institutes bring historical, institutional, political, and geographic dimensions into economics - especially as they relate to the regions of North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Particular emphasis is given to the topics of economic growth and development, domestic and foreign economic policy, and labor markets and migration.

In cooperation with the School of Business & Economics, the three central institutes jointly offer M.Sc. Economics and Public Economics students the opportunity to obtain a certificate of concentration in International Economics and Area Studies. Courses within the International Economics and Area Studies concentration are organized by the economics faculty of the different regional institutes. Two full professors and three junior professors cover a broad range of research and teaching topics.

The central institutes are also very active in doctoral education through the Graduate School of North American Studies and the International Graduate School of the Institute for Latin American Studies. An International Graduate School between the Institute for East European Studies and the Higher School of Economics in Moscow is currently in the planning stage.