University of Copenhagen

The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia and a leading public research institution in Denmark. Situated across four main campuses in Copenhagen, the university comprises six faculties: Health and Medical Sciences, Humanities, Law, Science, Social Sciences, and Theology. It also operates 36 departments and 122 research centers, along with various museums, botanical gardens, and research stations, including two in Greenland.

Historically, the university was established by Christian I of Denmark following a papal bull from Pope Sixtus IV. The institution has endured several significant events, such as its temporary dissolution in the 16th century due to the spread of Protestantism and its revival following the Lutheran Reformation. It underwent major structural changes in the 19th century and expanded rapidly between 1960 and 1980.

Academically, the university has been affiliated with 10 Nobel laureates and one Turing Award laureate. Its alumni include a president of the United Nations General Assembly and multiple Danish prime ministers. The student population stands at around 40,000, with academic staff numbering approximately 5,600 and technical and administrative staff around 4,400.

The institution has experienced various governance models, with a shift towards a top-down administrative approach in 2003. It also merged with the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University and the Danish University of Pharmaceutical Science in 2007. The university’s annual budget is around DKK 8.9 billion as of 2018.