Philipps-Universität Marburg

University of Marburg

Philipps-Universität Marburg
Latin: Schola Marpurgensis
Type	Public university
Established	July 1, 1527
President	Katharina Krause[]
Administrative staff	c. 7,500 (incl. hospital staff, 2005[update])
Students	c. 25,000
Location	Marburg, Germany
Affiliations	Compostela Group of Universities
Website	www.uni-marburg.de

The Philipp University of Marburg (German: Philipps-Universität Marburg), was founded in 1527 by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (usually called the Magnanimous, although the updated meaning "haughty" is sometimes given) as one of Germany's oldest universities, dating back to a Protestant foundation. As a state university it no longer has any religious affiliation.

It was the main university of the principality of Hesse and remains a public university of that state. It now has about 25,000 students and 7,500 employees, making Marburg, a town of 72,000 inhabitants, the proverbial "university town" (Universitätsstadt). Though most subjects are grouped, the University of Marburg is not a campus university in the broader sense. About 12% of the students are international, the highest percentage in Hesse. It offers an International summer university programme every summer and has an awarded ERASMUS programme.

Marburg is home to one of Germany's most traditional medical faculties. The German physicians' union is called Marburger Bund.

In 1609, the University of Marburg established the world's first professorship in chemistry. In 2012 it opened the first German participative chemistry museum, called Chemicum. Its experimental course programme is aimed at encouraging young people to pursue careers in science.

20 professors were expelled in 1933, among them Wilhelm Röpke who emigrated and Hermann Jacobsohn who committed suicide.

The university is most famous for its life sciences research, but is also home to one of the few centers that conduct research on the middle east, the CNMS (center for near and middle eastern studies). The departments of psychology and geography enjoy an outstanding reputation and reached Excellence Group status in the Europe-wide CHE Excellence Ranking 2009.

According to the 2012 QS Ranking, the university ranked among the top 30 German universities. The ARWU ranking which is more focused on research, ranks the university around 200, with its life sciences and social sciences department in the 151-200 range worldwide.