Uppsala University facts for kids

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Uppsala University

Uppsala universitet
Latin: Universitas Regia Upsaliensis
Motto	Gratiae veritas naturae (Latin)
Motto in English	Truth through the grace of God and through nature
Type	Public research university
Established	1477; 548 years ago (1477)
Budget	SEK 7.398 billion
Rector magnificus	Anders Hagfeldt
Academic staff	4,135 FTE
Administrative staff	2,150 FTE
Students	52,241 (28,289 FTE)
Doctoral students	2,228
Location	Uppsala , Sweden
Campus	Urban / University town
Colours	Maroon, white
Affiliations	Coimbra Group EUA Matariki Network of Universities Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities

Uppsala University (UU) (Swedish: Uppsala universitet) is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. It was started in 1477. This makes it the oldest university in Sweden. It is also the oldest university in the Nordic countries that is still open today.

The university became very important when Sweden became a powerful country in the late 1500s. In the early 1600s, King Gustavus Adolphus gave a large gift to the university. This helped it become financially stable. Uppsala University is also a big part of Swedish culture and national identity. Many Swedish academic traditions, like the white student cap, began here. It shares some unique features, like the student nation system, with Lund University and the University of Helsinki.

Uppsala University is part of the Coimbra Group of European universities. It also belongs to the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. It has often been ranked among the world's top 100 universities.

The university has nine main study areas, called faculties. These are grouped into three main fields: Humanities and Social Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacy, and Science and Technology. In 2020, about 52,000 students were studying there. This included undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students.

Many of Uppsala University's buildings are in the Fjärdingen area. This is the neighborhood around Uppsala Cathedral on the west side of the Fyris River. Even with new buildings elsewhere, the university still strongly shapes Uppsala's historic center.

History of Uppsala University

How Uppsala University Started in the 1400s

Like most universities in the Middle Ages, Uppsala University grew from a church center. The archbishop of Uppsala was a very important leader in Sweden. This was because Christianity first came to this area in the 800s. Uppsala was also a busy trading hub for a long time.

The university officially started with a special paper from Pope Sixtus IV in 1477. This paper gave the university its rights and freedoms. It said the university would have the same rights as the University of Bologna in Italy. This meant it could have four main study areas: theology, law, medicine, and philosophy. Students could also earn different degrees, like bachelor's and master's. The archbishop of Uppsala was named the university's leader, called the Chancellor. He was in charge of protecting the university's rights.

Challenges in the 1500s

The 1500s were a difficult time because of the Reformation led by King Gustavus Vasa. The number of students at Uppsala dropped. This was because the university was seen as a Catholic center. Many Swedish students went to Protestant universities in Germany instead.

However, some studies continued in Uppsala. The Faculty of Theology was mentioned in 1526. King Eric XIV appointed a rector in 1566. Later, King John III appointed several professors. By the end of the century, Uppsala became a strong center for Lutheranism. In 1593, the Uppsala Synod made Lutheranism the official religion in Sweden. King Charles IX then gave new rights to the university.

In 1593, seven professor jobs were created. Three were for theology. Others were for astronomy, physics, and Latin. An eighth job for medicine was added in 1595. By 1599, there were about 150 students. In 1600, the first degrees were given out after the Reformation. The university's official seal, which is still used today, was designed in the same year.

Growth and Development in the 1600s

The medieval university mainly taught theology. But Sweden was becoming a powerful country. It needed different kinds of learning. The country was growing and changing its government. This meant it needed many more civil servants and teachers. New schools, called gymnasiums, were also started.

Besides Uppsala, new universities were founded in other parts of Sweden. These included the University of Tartu in Estonia (1632) and the Royal Academy of Turku in Finland (1640). After Sweden took over some areas from Denmark, Lund University was founded in 1666.

Axel Oxenstierna, a powerful leader, helped with these changes. He had studied in German universities. King Gustavus Adolphus was very interested in the university. He increased the number of professors from eight to seventeen by 1621. In 1624, the king gave all his personal land in Uppland and Västmanland to the university forever. This included about 300 farms and mills. This gift gave the university a steady income.

The university got a clear structure with its rules in 1626. The main leader was the Chancellor. His helper was the pro-chancellor, who was always the Archbishop of Uppsala. The daily running of the university was handled by the consistory, which included all professors. The rector magnificus was elected for one semester at a time.

In the early 1600s, the university was in the old chapter house. From 1622 to 1625, a new building called Gustavianum was built. It was named after the king. By the 1630s, about 1,000 students were studying there.

Queen Christina was also very generous. She gave money for Swedish students to study abroad. She also brought foreign scholars to Uppsala. One of them was Johannes Schefferus, whose library is now part of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala. The Queen visited the university many times. In 1652, she saw a demonstration by a young doctor named Olaus Rudbeck.

Rudbeck had studied in the Netherlands. When he returned in 1654, he started to improve the university. He created the first botanical garden. This garden was later cared for by Carl Linnaeus. Today, it is a museum called Linnéträdgården (the Linnaean Garden). With support from the university chancellor, Rudbeck became a full professor in 1660. He was elected rector twice. He also started building new parts of the university. His most famous work is the anatomical theater. It was added to Gustavianum in the 1660s.

Rudbeck was a talented scientist, architect, and engineer. He was a very important person at the university in the late 1600s. He helped set the stage for scientists like Linnaeus. In 1702, a big fire burned down much of Uppsala. Gustavianum, which held the university library, was saved. People say that Rudbeck, who was old by then, stood on the roof helping to fight the fire.

New Ideas in the 1700s

The early 1700s still focused on old traditions and theology. But slowly, more attention was given to science and useful knowledge. Important scientists joined the university. These included the mathematician Samuel Klingenstierna in 1728, the physicist Anders Celsius in 1729, and Carl Linnaeus, who became a professor of medicine and botany in 1741.

The government also started a new job for a professor of economics in 1741. This was one of the first such jobs in Europe. Later, another economics professorship was added. This one focused on how natural sciences could be used for economic purposes.

University studies used to be very informal. Many students never graduated. New professional degrees were introduced in 1749–1750. But the idea of making students stick to one study program for a specific job was not fully adopted.

After the 1702 fire, Uppsala Cathedral and Uppsala Castle were rebuilt by Carl Hårleman. He also changed Gustavianum and designed a new conservatory for Linnaeus's botanical garden. He built the new Consistory house, which became the university's main office.

Another big gift came from Gustav III. He gave the university the large baroque garden of the castle. This was because the old botanical garden was too small. A new conservatory was built there. The old garden of Rudbeck and Linnaeus was later rebuilt between 1918 and 1923. It was made to look like Linnaeus described it in 1745.

Women at Uppsala University

The idea of women studying at universities was first discussed in 1865. In 1870, it was decided that women could take the exam needed to enter universities. They could also study and get degrees in medicine at Uppsala and Lund. Many people thought women would be good doctors because of their caring nature. However, they could only work in private practice. In 1873, women's rights to higher education grew. They could now get almost all degrees, except in theology and some law degrees.

The first female student in Sweden was Betty Pettersson (1838–1885). She entered Uppsala University in 1872. She studied modern European languages. In 1875, she became the first woman in Sweden to finish an academic degree. She then became the first woman to teach in a public school for boys.

The first woman in Sweden to earn a doctoral degree was Ellen Fries (1855–1900). She started at Uppsala University in 1877 and got her PhD in history in 1883. Other important female students included Lydia Wahlström (1869–1954). She became a famous teacher, activist, and writer for women's rights. She earned her doctorate in history in 1900. In 1892, she started the Uppsala Women's Student Association. This group did things that male students enjoyed but women were not allowed to do. The women in this group were the first to wear student caps in public. This was an important sign of their status.

Elsa Eschelsson (1861–1911) was the first Swedish woman to finish a law degree. She was also the first to become a "docent" (a high academic title). But she was not allowed to be a professor, even though she was qualified. This was only because she was a woman. She faced many challenges and died in 1911.

Until 1925, only "native Swedish men" could be professors. This rule changed, and in 1949, Gerd Enequist became the first woman professor at Uppsala University. She taught human geography.

Hildegard Björck also studied at the university. She became the first Swedish woman to receive an academic degree.

How Uppsala University Works

University Leadership

The university is led by a board called the consistory. It includes professors, students, and non-academic staff. It also has ten members from outside the university chosen by the Swedish government. All these members can vote. Unions also have representatives who can speak but not vote.

Since 1999, the university has also had an academic senate. This is a larger group that gives advice. The main leader of the university is the rector magnificus. There are also three vice rectors. Each one leads one of the three main study areas. Each study area has several faculties. Each faculty has a board and is led by a dean. A dean is usually a professor from that faculty.

Main Study Areas (Faculties)

The university has nine faculties. These have grown from the traditional four main study areas of European universities. The faculties are grouped into three main fields:

Arts and Social Sciences

• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Social Sciences
• Faculty of Languages
• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Law: This is the oldest law faculty in the Nordic countries. It existed even before the university officially started in 1477. It has one department, the Department of Law.
• Faculty of Educational Sciences: This used to be a department but became a faculty in 2002.

Medicine and Pharmacy

• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Pharmacy: This used to be a separate school in Stockholm. It moved to Uppsala and joined the university between 1968 and 1972.

Science and Technology

• Faculty of Science and Technology: The engineering programs here were once called the Uppsala School of Engineering. But it has always been part of this faculty.

Other Important Areas

Uppsala University also hosts the Forum for South Asia Studies. This group works with six faculties to promote research and education about countries in South Asia. These countries include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Afghanistan.

University Library

The university library has about 5.25 million books and magazines. It also has many old manuscripts, music sheets, and maps. One very special item is the Gothic Bible manuscript called Codex Argenteus.

The most famous library building is Carolina Rediviva. Its name means "revived Carolina." This refers to an older building, Academia Carolina, where the library was first located. The library moved to Gustavianum in 1691. It amazingly survived the big city fire of 1702. The current Carolina Rediviva was built in a different spot and finished in 1841.

Today, the university library system has 19 branches.

Uppsala University Hospital

The Uppsala Academic Hospital, or Akademiska sjukhuset, is a teaching hospital. It works with the university's Faculty of Medicine and Nursing School. The hospital is actually older than the university. It started in 1302. In 2003, it had 7,719 employees and 1,079 patient beds.

The first clinic for teaching medical students was the Nosocomium Academicum. It was founded in 1708. The building where it was located now houses the Faculty of Law.

The current Akademiska sjukhuset was formed in 1850. It combined the county hospital and the university clinic. A new building opened in 1867. The hospital has grown from this building, which is still used today.

The Svedberg Laboratory

The Svedberg Laboratory is a university facility. It has a special machine called the Gustaf Werner cyclotron. This machine is used for research. It is also used for proton therapy. This is a special type of cancer treatment. This makes Uppsala University Hospital one of only about 40 centers in the world that offers this treatment.

University Buildings and Campus Areas

The university has many buildings and locations. Some old buildings in central Uppsala are no longer used for teaching. This is because their protected status makes it hard to change them for students with disabilities.

University Park and Cathedral Area

• Gustavianum
• Old Consistory building
• University Hall
• Ekerman House
• The Dean's House
• Skytteanum
• Oxenstierna House (now the Faculty of Law)
• Regnellianum
• Carolina Rediviva (main library building)

West of Central Uppsala

• English Park Campus – Centre for the Humanities
• Centre for Evolutionary Biology (EBC), which includes the Museum of Evolution
• Botanical Garden
• Segerstedt Building – main administrative building
• Blåsenhus – Center for education and psychology

Other Locations in Wider Central Uppsala

• Theatrum Oeconomicum and Gamla Torget ("The Old Forum")
• The Observatory Park with the old observatory
• Ekonomikum
• The Linnaeus Garden
• Anders Celsius's former house and observatory

South of Central Uppsala

• Uppsala University Hospital
• The Rudbeck Laboratory
• Uppsala Biomedical Centre (BMC)
• Geocentrum
• Information Technology Centre (ITC)
• Ångström Laboratory
• Epidemiology hub (Epihubben)

Outside of Uppsala

• Campus Gotland

Student Life at Uppsala University

Nations and Student Unions

Until June 2010, students at Uppsala University had to join one of the nations. These are groups of students traditionally based on where they came from in Sweden. This system of dividing students into nations started around the 1630s. In Sweden, nations only exist in Uppsala and Lund.

There are currently thirteen nations at Uppsala University. They all have a history going back to the 1600s. Some of them were formed by combining smaller, older nations.

The nations at Uppsala University are:

• Stockholms nation
• Uplands nation
• Gästrike-Hälsinge nation
• Östgöta nation
• Västgöta nation
• Södermanlands-Nerikes nation
• Västmanlands-Dala nation
• Smålands nation
• Göteborgs nation
• Kalmar nation
• Värmlands nation
• Norrlands nation
• Gotlands nation

In 2010, it became optional for students to join a nation.

The Uppsala Student Union was started in 1849. It represents all students. The Faculty of Pharmacy joined Uppsala University in 1968. Its students then formed the Pharmaceutical Student Union. These unions represent students in university meetings.

As of July 2013, there are four student unions at the university: the Uppsala Student Union, the Pharmaceutical Student Union, the Uppsala Union of Engineering and Science Students, and Rindi (for students at Campus Gotland). In 2016, two more unions were added: Uppsala Business & Economics Students Association and Uppsala Law Student Associations. So, there are now six student unions.

Music and Choirs

The university's Royal Academic Orchestra was founded in 1627. It plays at university ceremonies and concerts. Its leader is called director musices. Famous composers like Wilhelm Stenhammar and Hugo Alfvén have held this position.

The university also has three choirs:

• The mixed Uppsala University Choir (Allmänna Sången), started in 1830.
• The male choir Orphei Drängar, started in 1853.
• The Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala, started in 1957.

Many other choirs and orchestras are connected to the student nations.

A very important person in the history of these choirs is Eric Ericson. He conducted both Orphei Drängar and the Chamber Choir. In his honor, the Eric Ericson Chair in Choral Directing was created. The Uppsala University Choral Centre was opened in 2000. It offers courses in leading choirs.

Finding a Place to Live

Like many cities, Uppsala has a shortage of housing. This has been a problem for many years. Both Swedish and international students can find it hard to find a place to live when they first start at the university. However, this problem has improved since 2010 with new housing projects.

In Sweden, universities do not usually provide housing for students. Students are expected to find their own places. To help, student nations and unions have built special student rooms and apartments. But there are not enough student homes for everyone. About 40,000 students are eligible for the 11,000 available rooms and apartments. Because the rent is low, these places are very popular. Many students try to keep their contracts even after they graduate.

Some popular student housing areas are Flogsta, Kantorsgatan, Studentstaden, Studentvägen, Klostergatan, and Rackarbergsgatan. Flogsta is especially popular with international students.

Sports and Activities

Sports are not as big a part of university life in Sweden as they are in British or U.S. universities. Uppsala University is more known for its music and choir traditions. Both have roots in the 1600s, when special activities were offered to noble students.

The Exercitiae (Exercises)

In the 1630s, the university started offering training in "exercises" (exercitiae). These were skills thought to be important for young noblemen. They included riding, fencing, dance, drawing, and modern languages like French and Italian. The idea came from Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. He wanted a well-educated group of civil servants.

The "exercise yard" for riding and fencing was later removed to make way for the new University Hall. Modern languages became part of the regular studies in the 1800s. The remaining "exercises" today include:

• Fencing: Done with a private fencing club.
• Gymnastics and sports: Held at the University Gymnastics Hall, known as Svettis.
• Riding: The university has its own stables for this.
• Music: Led by the director musices, who conducts the Royal Academic Orchestra.
• Drawing: The university hires an artist as a Drawing Master. Free lessons are offered at Uppsala Castle.

Other Sports Activities

Other sports have also been part of student life. The Upsala Simsällskap, "Uppsala Swimming Society," started in 1796. It is the oldest swimming club in the world. While not formally part of the university, its first members were from academic life. The club even had a mock graduation ceremony for swimmers. This is where the Swedish swimming levels of "master" and "bachelor" came from.

In the 1870s, there was an attempt to start academic rowing, like at Oxford and Cambridge. The Stockholms nation got a rowing boat in 1877. For some years, rowing races were held between teams from different nations.

Although rowing never became as big as in England, an annual Uppsala-Lund regatta has been held since 1992. This is a race between rowing teams from Uppsala and Lund University. The race takes place on the Fyris River in Uppsala in even years. In odd years, it's held near Lund. Both men's and women's teams compete.

University Rankings

University rankings
Global – Overall
ARWU World	82 (2023)
CWUR World	88 (2021–22)
QS World	103 (2025)
THE World	140 (2024)
USNWR Global	113 (2022)

Overall Rankings

Uppsala University is one of Sweden's most important universities. It is often ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. For example, for over ten years, it has been in the top 80 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Times Higher Education ranked Uppsala among the 126–150 most respected universities worldwide in 2022. In 2023, it was ranked the 68th most international university in the world.

Rankings by Subject Area

QS Rankings by Subject 2023 (only top 100 listed):

Subject	Uppsala's world rank
Pharmacy & Pharmacology	24
Biological Sciences	52
Life Sciences & Medicine	77
Environmental Sciences	80
Chemistry	83
Sociology	91
Geography	51–100
Politics	51–100
Nursing	51–100
Archeology	51–100
Development Studies	51–100
History	51–100
Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies	51–100

QS Rankings by Broad Subject Area 2023:

Broad Subject Area	Uppsala's world rank
Life Sciences & Medicine	77
Natural Sciences	120
Arts and Humanities	151
Social Sciences & Management	216
Engineering & Technology	237

Times Higher Education Rankings by Subject 2023:

Subject	Uppsala's world rank
Life Sciences	52
Social Sciences	101–125
Arts & Humanities	101–125
Physical Sciences	126–150
Clinical, Pre-clinical & Health	126–150
Business and Economics	251–300
Engineering & Technology	301–400

Famous People from Uppsala University

Uppsala University has connections to 8 Nobel Prize winners. Many kings, queens, academics, and public figures have also been part of the university.

Since the 1600s, Uppsala University has educated many Swedish politicians and civil servants. These include leaders like Johan Oxenstierna and Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie. Even the first Social Democratic Prime Minister of Sweden, Hjalmar Branting, studied here.

Other famous alumni include Dag Hammarskjöld (1905–1961). He was the Secretary General of the United Nations. He won the Nobel Peace Prize after he died. Hans Blix (born 1928), a Swedish diplomat, also studied at Uppsala. He led the International Atomic Energy Agency. Anna Lindh, a Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, also graduated from the Faculty of Law.

Most Swedish church leaders, including bishops and archbishops, studied at Uppsala. This includes Nathan Söderblom (1866–1931). He was a professor and later the Archbishop of Uppsala. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930 for his work on bringing different churches together.

The university became important in science in the 1700s. Key figures include:

• Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778): The "father" of how we classify plants and animals.
• Anders Celsius (1701–1744): The astronomer and physicist who invented the Celsius temperature scale.
• Torbern Bergman (1735–1784): A chemist.
• Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772): A scientist and religious thinker.

Many elements were discovered by Uppsala scientists. Jöns Jakob Berzelius, a founder of modern chemistry, got his medical degree here in 1804. In the 1800s, physicist Anders Jonas Ångström was also from Uppsala. In the 1900s, several Nobel Prize winners in science were alumni or professors at the university.

Many well-known Swedish writers have studied in Uppsala:

• Georg Stiernhielm (1598–1672): Often called the father of Swedish poetry.
• Carl Michael Bellman (1740–1795): A beloved 18th-century poet and songwriter.
• Erik Gustaf Geijer (1783–1847): A writer, historian, and composer.
• Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom (1790–1855): A poet and professor.
• August Strindberg (1849–1912): A famous novelist and playwright. His book Från Fjärdingen och Svartbäcken is about his time as a student in Uppsala.
• Erik Axel Karlfeldt (1864–1931): A poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature after he died.
• Pär Lagerkvist (1891–1974): A novelist and playwright who won the Nobel Prize in 1951.
• Karin Boye (1900–1941): A poet and novelist. A library branch is named after her.

Working with Others Around the World

Uppsala University has agreements with about 400 universities worldwide for student exchanges. It is part of the Erasmus programme and the Nordplus programme. Its membership in the Coimbra Group of universities also helps with international cooperation.

In May 2010, Uppsala joined the Matariki Network of Universities (MNU). This group includes universities like Dartmouth College (USA), Durham University (UK), Queen's University (Canada), University of Otago (New Zealand), University of Tübingen (Germany), and University of Western Australia (Australia).

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Upsala para niños

• List of medieval universities
• List of universities in Sweden
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala
• Johannelunds Teologiska Högskola in Uppsala
• Flogsta – a student living area in Uppsala
• Category:Uppsala University alumni
• S*, a group of universities working together on bioinformatics