Founded in 1386, the Universität Heidelberg has been shaped by over 600 years of German history. Today, the University is a public institution, supported by the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is internationally recognized for the high quality of its research and teaching and was recently selected as one of ten German 'elite' universities. The Universität Heidelberg is also consistently ranked number one in Germany in the Times/QS World University Rankings.
Approximately 26,000 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs at the University, approximately 5,000 of which are international students.
Among the prominent faculties at the Universität Heidelberg are history, political and social sciences, philosophy, classical and modern languages, natural and biological sciences, economics, theology, law and medicine. The Institute for German as a Foreign Language is the oldest such department in Germany and still serves as a model for many other universities.
Most traditional university departments are centered around the Universitätsplatz in the heart of the old city. The natural sciences and medicine, the athletic center and the computer center are located in a modern campus on the north bank of the Neckar river.