Uppsala University was founded in 1477 and describes itself as the first Nordic university. It is divided into three disciplinary domains: humanities and social sciences, medicine and pharmacy, and science and technology. These contain nine faculties and approximately 60 departments and similar units. The Vice-Chancellor heads the university as a public authority, subject to the guidelines of its governing board, and is appointed by the Government.
The university’s facts page records 49,860 registered students in 2026 and 29,743 full-time equivalents in 2025, plus 2,415 PhD students. It lists 7,539 employees (year average), equal to 6,648 full-time equivalents, and turnover of SEK 9,235 million. Anders Hagfeldt is Vice-Chancellor and has been appointed for a second term from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2029.