Uppsala University (Swedish: Uppsala universitet) is a public research university located in the city of Uppsala in the Swedish province of Uppsala. In existence since 1477, the university is the oldest institution of higher learning in Sweden and the Nordic nations. The university's motto is "Gratiae veritas naturae," which means "grateful truths of nature."
The institution gained prominence with the development of Sweden as a major power towards the end of the 16th century, and was later provided with a substantial contribution by King Gustavus Adolphus in the early 17th century, allowing it to enjoy relative financial stability. Uppsala has also had a significant historical position in Swedish national culture and identity, as well as in the Swedish establishment, as shown by its contributions to history, literature, politics, and music. Uppsala is the birthplace of many characteristics of Swedish academic culture in general, including the white student hat, which is still worn today. It has certain similarities to Lund University and the University of Helsinki, such as the student nation system, which they both have in place.
University of Uppsala is a member of the Coimbra Group of European institutions, which is also a member of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. In a number of international rankings, it has been listed among the top 100 universities in the world.
Humanities and social sciences, medicine and pharmacy, and science and technology are the three academic sectors in which the university's nine faculties are divided. The university has roughly 52,000 enrolled students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as 2,200 PhD students, according to projections for 2020.
Uppsala University has long had a prominent presence in FjÀrdingen, the neighbourhood around the cathedral on the western bank of the River Fyris, in terms of architectural design and construction. Despite the existence of the university, the historic centre of Uppsala continues to be dominated by the presence of the institution, despite some modern construction projects farther out from the centre.