At Harvard University, the title of University Professor is an honor bestowed upon a very small number of its tenured faculty members whose scholarship and other professional work have attained particular distinction and influence. The University Professorship is Harvard's most distinguished professorial post.
This honor was created in 1935 by Harvard's President and Fellows for "individuals of distinction ... working on the frontiers of knowledge, and in such a way as to cross the conventional boundaries of the specialties." The number of University Professors has increased with new endowed gifts to the university. In 2006, there were 21 University Professors at Harvard. As of 2014[update], there are 24 Harvard University Professors.