University of Vilnius

Vilnius University

Vilniaus Universitetas
Latin: Universitas Vilnensis
Former names	Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Jesu (1579) Principal School of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1783) Principal School of Vilnius (1795) Imperial University of Vilnius (1803) Stephen Bathory University (1919) State University of Vilnius (1944)
Motto	Hinc itur ad astra (Latin)
Motto in English	From here the way leads to the stars
Type	Public
Established	1579 (1579)
Affiliation	St. John's Church
Rector	Artūras Žukauskas
Academic staff	1,370 (3,662 staff total)
Students	20,864
Undergraduates	11,418
Postgraduates	3,560
Doctoral students	860
Other students	794 (MDs in residency) 1224 (international students)
Location	Vilnius, Lithuania Coordinates: 54°40′57″N 25°17′14″E / 54.68250°N 25.28722°E / 54.68250; 25.28722
Campus	Urban
Colors	Maroon
Affiliations	EUA, Santander Network, UNICA, Utrecht Network
Website	www.vu.lt

Vilnius University (Lithuanian: Vilniaus universitetas; other names exist) is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Northern Europe. It is the largest university in Lithuania.

The university was founded in 1579 as the Jesuit Academy (College) of Vilnius by Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Stephen Báthory. It was the third oldest university (after the Cracow Academy and the Albertina) in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the aftermath of the Third Partition of Poland (1795) and the November Uprising (1830–1831), the university was closed down and suspended its operation until 1919. In the aftermath of World War I the university saw failed attempts to restart it by Lithuania (December 1918) and invading Soviet forces (March 1919). It finally resumed operations as Stefan Batory University in Poland (August 1919), a period followed by another Soviet occupation in 1920, and the less than two-years of the Republic of Central Lithuania, incorporated into Poland in 1922.