Stockholm University Sweden

Stockholm University (Swedish: Stockholms universitet) is the state university of Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm University has two scientific fields: the natural sciences and the humanities/social sciences. With over 70,000 students at four different faculties, law, humanities, the mathematical and natural sciences, it is one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world by both the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE) - whereas, in the QS World University Rankings, the SU is among the 200 universities in the world. Stockholm University was granted university status in 1960, making it the fourth oldest Swedish university. Stockholm University's primary mission is to provide education and high quality research for the betterment of the Swedish community.

The initiative for the formation of Stockholm University was taken by the Stockholm City Council. The process was completed after a decision in December 1865 regarding the establishment of a fund and a committee to "establish a higher education institution in the capital". The nine members of the Committee were respected and prominent citizens whose work have helped the evolution of science and society.

The next important step was taken in October 1869, when the Stockholm University College Association was established. Several members of the committee became members of the association - including Professor Pehr Henrik Malmsten. The association's mission was to establish a university in Stockholm and would "not be dissolved until college came into being and its future could be secured." The memorandum of the Stockholm University College were adopted in May 1877, and in the autumn semester of the following year, actual operations began.

In 1878, the university college Stockholms högskola started its operations with a series of lectures on natural sciences, open to curious citizens (a tradition still upheld by yearly publicly open lectures). Notable in the university's early history is the appointment of Sofia Kovalevskaya to hold a chair in mathematics department in 1889, making her the third female professor in Europe. In 1904 the college became an official degree granting institution.

In 1960, the college was granted university status, becoming Sweden's fourth state university. The university premises were situated in central Stockholm at Observatorielunden but increased enrollment resulted in a lack of space, which required the university campus to be shifted to a bigger facility. Since 1970 most of the university operations are pursued at the main campus at Frescati north of the city center.