The University of Vienna was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365. It is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and one of the largest in Central Europe.

Currently, about 74,000 students are enrolled at the University of Vienna in 177 courses, of which 52 are Bachelor Programmes, 108 Master Programmes, 7 Diploma Programmes and 10 PhD Programmes.

With staff of close to 8,600 employees, 6,500 of which are academic, the University of Vienna is the largest teaching and research institution in Austria. It aims to sustain a wide range of studies, but at the same time to promote new and innovative fields of research, and to establish new networks between subjects.

The academic institutions of the University of Vienna are spread over more than 60 locations, its centre being the historic Main building on Wiener Ringstraße. It houses the university management, library, administrative institutions, various departments and some of the deans’ offices, as well as many lecture rooms and the Audimax, the largest lecture hall of the entire university.

Another important centre is the University Campus nearby, housing most of the institutes of the cultural sciences as well as the new Hörsaalzentrum (lecture rooms’ centre).

Further main university sites are the Sports Centre Auf der Schmelz, the University Centre in Althanstraße, the Juridicum (Law School) in Schottenbastei, the site in Schenkenstraße behind the Burgtheater, the Business Administration Centre in Brünner Straße, and the Campus Vienna Bio Center in Dr.-Bohr-Gasse.