University of Bergen

University of Bergen (UiB) is a public research university located in Bergen, Norway.

The University of Bergen (UiB) traces its roots to several earlier scientific and scholarly institutions founded in Bergen. Academic activity had taken place in Bergen since the founding of Bergen Cathedral School in 1153, the Seminarium Fredericianum in 1750 and the establishment of the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy in 1817.

In 1825, the Bergen Museum was established. The museum was a center for scientific research and teaching, and it offered a variety of courses in the natural sciences and humanities. In 1837, the Bergen School of Medicine was established. The school was the first medical school in Norway outside of Oslo.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was growing demand for a university in Bergen. Bergen was a major city and a center for trade and industry, and it was felt that the city needed a university to serve its growing population.

In 1946, the Norwegian Parliament passed an act establishing the University of Bergen. The university was founded on the basis of several older scientific institutions, including the Bergen Museum and the Bergen School of Medicine.

The University of Bergen quickly grew and expanded after its founding. In the 1950s and 1960s, the university built a new campus on Nygård Hill. The new campus was designed by the Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn, and it is considered to be one of the most beautiful university campuses in the world.

The University of Bergen has played a major role in the development of Bergen and Norway as a whole. The university has produced many of Norway's leading scientists, scholars, and business leaders. UiB is also a major employer in Bergen, and it contributes significantly to the city's economy and culture.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, University of Bergen is positioned as the #291 top university in the world, which makes it the #3 top university in Norway. The university's global rank decreased by 10 points from last year.