University of Marburg facts for kids

The Philipps University of Marburg is a public university in Marburg, Germany. It was started in 1527 by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. This makes it one of Germany's oldest universities. It is also the oldest university that was founded as a Protestant school and is still open today.

The university has about 23,500 students and 7,500 staff members. Marburg is a town of 76,000 people. Many university buildings are located in or near the town center. About 14% of the students come from other countries. This is the highest percentage in the German state of Hesse. The university offers special summer programs for international students. It also has student exchange programs like the Erasmus programme.

University History and Milestones

The Philipps University of Marburg has a long and interesting history. It has been a place of learning for almost 500 years.

Early Discoveries in Chemistry

In 1609, the University of Marburg created the world's first special teaching position for chemistry. This shows how important science was to the university early on. In 2012, the university opened a fun, interactive chemistry museum called Chemicum. This museum helps young people get excited about science and maybe even choose a science career. The university was also one of the first in Germany to offer courses about gender studies.

The University During Difficult Times

During the Nazi period, in 1933, some professors were forced to leave the university. For example, economist Wilhelm Röpke had to leave Germany.

Growth After World War II

After 1945, the university continued to grow. Since the 1970s, its Department of Social Sciences became very well known. A professor named Wolfgang Abendroth was a big influence in political science during this time.

What Students Study and Research

The university is known for its strong academic programs and important research.

Important Research Areas

The university is very good at research in life sciences. This includes subjects like biology and medicine. It also has one of the few centers that studies the Middle East. This center is called the CNMS, which stands for Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies. The psychology and geography departments were recognized as "Excellence Groups" in a European ranking in 2009.

The university takes part in special research projects called SFBs (Sonderforschungsbereiche). These are like big team projects. They are paid for by the German Science Foundation (DFG). These projects encourage researchers from different subjects to work together. This helps them discover new things. Some of these projects include:

• SFB/TR17 – Research on cancer pathways (started 2004)
• SFB/TR22 – Studies on allergic reactions in the lung (started 2005)
• SFB/TR81 – Research on cell changes in diseases (started 2010)
• SFB-TRR 84 – Studies on the body's natural defenses in the lung (started 2010)
• SFB-TRR 135 – Research on how we perceive things (started 2014)
• SFB 593 – Studies on how cells are organized and related to disease (started 2003)
• SFB 987 – Research on tiny living things and how they react to signals (started 2012)
• SFB 1083 – Studies on how different materials connect (started 2013)
• SFB 1021 – Research on RNA viruses and how they affect the body (started 2013)

University Collections and Museums

The university has many interesting collections and museums. These are great places to learn and explore:

• Alter Botanischer Garten Marburg, the university's old plant garden
• Botanischer Garten Marburg, the university's current plant garden
• Forschungsinstitut Lichtbildarchiv älterer Originalurkunden bis 1250 (A collection of old photos of medieval documents)
• Bildarchiv Foto Marburg (A German national picture archive of art)
• Religionskundliche Sammlung (A collection of religious objects)
• Deutscher Sprachatlas (A map showing different German dialects)
• Mineralogisches Museum (A museum of minerals)
• Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte (A museum of art and cultural history)
• Museum Anatomicum (A museum about anatomy and medical history)

University Rankings and Reputation

Universities are often ranked to show how they compare to others around the world. In 2024, the Philipps University of Marburg was ranked globally between 761 and 770 by QS World University Rankings. In Germany, it was ranked 40th to 41st. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings also placed it globally between 401 and 500 in 2024. Nationally, it was ranked between 37th and 41st. The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) for 2023 listed the university globally between 401 and 500. In Germany, it was ranked between 25th and 31st.

Gallery

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  Department of Economics

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  Department of Psychology

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  The Lahnberge Campus is for natural sciences. This picture shows the Multiple Purpose Building, where math and computer science are taught. It also has labs for material science and physical chemistry.

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  The building for the Biology Department looks similar.

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  The University Hospital and the Medical Studies Department are also at the Lahnberge Campus.

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  The Old University building. It has the university church, the religious studies department, and a large lecture hall.

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  The main office for university administration.

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  The Central Lecture Hall Building. It was built to hold more students.

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  The university library.

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  University of Marburg - Department of Social Sciences and the old university library.

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  One of the two big university cafeterias. It is located by the Lahn river.

Famous People from the University

Many important people have studied or taught at Philipps University of Marburg.

Natural Scientists

Theologians

Marburg was always known for its focus on humanities. This includes subjects like philosophy and theology. It kept this strength for a long time after World War II.

Philosophers

Other Notable People

Alumni (Former Students)

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Marburgo para niños

• List of early modern universities in Europe
• List of universities in Germany
• University hospital Giessen und Marburg