Heidelberg University, which describes itself as Germany’s oldest university, was founded in 1386. Its imprint states that it is a public corporation legally represented by the Rector, Prof. Dr Frauke Melchior. The Rectorate has two full-time members, the Rector and the Kanzler, and five part-time Vice-Rectors. The university lists 13 faculties, including medical faculties in Heidelberg and Mannheim.
At the start of the 2026/27 winter semester 31,300 students had registered, a provisional figure; final numbers are due after registration closes on 1 December 2026. The 2025/26 winter semester set a record of about 32,200. The university’s 2024 overview lists 9,540 staff in main employment, including 7,144 academic staff. Abroad, it runs the Heidelberg Center Latin America in Santiago de Chile, founded in 2002, and liaison offices in New York and Kyoto, as well as the Heidelberg Centre South Asia.