Boston University traces its origins to 1839, when delegates to a Methodist Episcopal conference established the Newbury Biblical Institute, later the university’s School of Theology. Boston University was chartered in 1869 by Isaac Rich, Lee Claflin and Jacob Sleeper, according to its timeline.
BU reports over 38,000 students from more than 140 countries, over 11,000 faculty and staff, 17 schools and colleges plus the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, and more than 300 programmes of study across three campuses, including a Medical Campus. The university’s leadership is overseen by the Board of Trustees. Melissa Gilliam, a physician, research scientist and administrator, is the eleventh president.