Georg-August University

University of Göttingen

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Latin: Universitas Regiæ Georgiæ Augustæ
Motto	In publica commoda (Latin)
Motto in English	For the good of all
Type	Public
Established	1734
Budget	€ 1.119 billion
President	Ulrike Beisiegel
Academic staff	4,446
Administrative staff	7,822
Students	31,500
Location	Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Campus	University town
Affiliations	German Excellence Universities Coimbra Group EUA U4 Network
Website	www.uni-goettingen.de

The University of Göttingen (German: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, GAU, known informally as Georgia Augusta) is a public research university in the city of Göttingen, Germany. Founded in 1734 by George II, King of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover, and starting classes in 1737, the university is the oldest in the state of Lower Saxony and the largest in student enrollment, which stands at around 26,000. Home to many noted figures, it represents one of Germany's historic and traditional institutions. Göttingen has been called "the city of science".

As for reputation, the University of Göttingen was previously supported by the German Universities Excellence Initiative, holds membership to the Coimbra Group, and boasts an association with around 40 Nobel Prize winners. Furthermore, the university maintains strong connections with major research institutes based in Göttingen, such as those of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community. With approximately 8 million media units, the Göttingen State and University Library ranks among the largest libraries in Germany.

In 1734, King George II of Great Britain, who was also Elector of Hanover, gave his Prime Minister in Hanover, Gerlach Adolph von Münchhausen, the order to establish a university in Göttingen to propagate the ideas of academic freedom and enlightenment at the times of the European Enlightenment.