Kolonialinstitut

University of Hamburg

Universität Hamburg
Latin: Universitas Hamburgensis
Motto	Der Forschung, der Lehre, der Bildung
Motto in English	For research, for teaching, for education
Type	Public
Established	1919; 98 years ago (1919)
Budget	€ 665 million
Chancellor	Martin Hecht
President	Dieter Lenzen[]
Academic staff	5,382
Administrative staff	7,076
Students	42,890
Doctoral students	4,946
Location	Hamburg, Germany
Campus	Urban
Colours	Red and white
Affiliations	EUA, Campus Europae, German U15
Website	www.uni-hamburg.de

The University of Hamburg (German: Universität Hamburg, also referred to as UHH) is a comprehensive university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919, having grown out of the previous General lecture system (Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen) and the Colonial Institute of Hamburg (Hamburgisches Kolonialinstitut) as well as the Akademic Gymnasium. In spite of its relatively short history, six Nobel Prize Winners and serials of scholars are affiliated to the university. University of Hamburg is the biggest research and education institution in Northern Germany and one of the most extensive universities in Germany. The main campus is located in the central district of Rotherbaum, with affiliated institutes and research centres spread around the city state.

The institution is classified as a global top 200 university by frequently cited ranking systems such as the Times Higher Education Ranking, the CWTS Leiden Ranking and the Center for World University Rankings, placing it among the top 1% of global universities.

On a national scale, U.S. News & World Report ranks UHH 7th and QS World University Rankings 14th out of a total of 426 German institutions of higher education.

At the beginning of the 20th century, wealthy individuals made several petitions to the Hamburg Senate and Parliament requesting the establishment of a university, however those were made to no avail. Although for a time, senator Werner von Melle supported the merger of existing institutions into one university, this plan failed because of the parliaments composition due to the effects of class voting. Much of the establishment wanted to see Hamburg limited to its dominant role as a trading center and shunned both the costs of a university and the social demands of the professors that would have to be employed.