Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Overview

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), also known as the University of Munich, is a renowned institution founded in 1472. It has a rich history, originally established in Ingolstadt and later moved to Landshut before settling in Munich. The university is named after its founder, Duke Ludwig IX, and Bavarian King Maximilian I Joseph, who brought it to Landshut.

With over 52,000 enrolled students in the winter semester of 2019/20, LMU offers a wide range of disciplines across its 18 faculties, including unique subjects not commonly found in German-speaking regions.

The university's buildings are spread across multiple locations in the greater Munich area. Central facilities and the majority of institutes are situated in the Maxvorstadt district, known as the Kunstareal München.

LMU boasts a remarkable association with 15 Nobel laureates who have been affiliated with the university at different stages of their careers. Since 2005, LMU has received funding as part of the Excellence Initiative and Strategy by the German federal and state governments.

As a public corporation with self-administration rights, LMU operates as both a public and state institution. The university is led by a management team, supported by the university council as the supervisory body and the extended university management as an advisory board. Other key bodies include the senate and central committees, while important matters within individual faculties are decided by faculty councils.

LMU is organized into 18 faculties, and their numbering system reflects the university's history. Notably, faculties 06 and 14 are not present due to the evolution of disciplines over time. The original faculties of theology, law, medicine, philosophy, natural sciences, and political economy have expanded into a diverse range of fields. The Faculty of Forestry was integrated into the Technical University of Munich in 1999, and the faculties of linguistic and literary studies were merged. In cases where multiple subjects are combined within a faculty or where no faculty board is designated, departments are established as separate academic units.