With the help of private donations, Gothenburg University College, as it was then known, was established in 1891, becoming the University of Gothenburg in 1954. It is the third oldest of Sweden’s universities.
Around the middle of the last century, the institution began to grow exponentially, expanding from just 500 students in the 1940s to around 27,000 today.
The majority of its campus buildings are based in the centre of Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city, where there is a thriving café culture. The university’s main building, built in 1907 and located in the Vasaparken, is considered a historic gem, and is protected by Sweden’s National Heritage Board.
The university has more than 6,000 employees, 58 per cent of whom are women. Within its nine faculties there are 38 departments.
The university’s strong research reputation attracts scientists and students from all around the world. To build on this, Gothenburg plans to establish six research centres aimed at solving “current global societal challenges” through “strong interdisciplinary research”. These will consist of the Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research, the Centre for Collective Action Research, the Centre for Ageing and Health, the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies, the Centre for Future Chemical Risk Assessment and Management Strategies and the Swedish Mariculture Research Centre.
Gothenburg also takes its environmental responsibilities seriously, and was the first university in the world to be environmentally certified according to ISO 14001 (the international standard for environmental management systems) and registered with the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme.
Notable alumni include author Jonas Jonasson and Nobel prizewinner Arvid Carlsson.
