Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

TheLudwig Maximilian University of Munich(simplyUniversity of Munich,LMUorLMU Munich;German:Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) is apublicresearch universityinMunich,Bavaria,Germany.Originally established as theUniversity of Ingolstadtin 1472 by DukeLudwig IX of Bavaria-Landshut,it is Germany'ssixth-oldest universityin continuous operation.

Ludwig Maximilian
University of Munich

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Latin:Universitas Ludovico-Maximilianea Monacensis
Type	Public
Established	1472(1472)
Budget	€797.4 million (2022)
President	Bernd Huber
Academic staff	5,565 (2018)
Administrative staff	8,208 (2018)
Students	52,972(WS 2023/24)
Location	Munich , Bavaria , Germany 48°09′03″N11°34′49″E
Nobel Laureates	43 (October 2020)
Colours	Green and white
Affiliations	German Excellence Universities Europaeum LERU
Website	lmu.de

In 1800, the university was moved from Ingolstadt toLandshutby KingMaximilian I Joseph of Bavariawhen the city was threatened by the French, before being transferred to its present-day location in Munich in 1826 by KingLudwig I of Bavaria.In 1802, the university was officially namedLudwig-Maximilians-Universitätby King Maximilian I of Bavaria in honor of himself and Ludwig IX.

LMU is currently the second-largest university in Germany in terms of student population; in the 2023/24 winter semester, the university had a total of 52,972 matriculated students. Of these, 10,138 were freshmen, while international students totaled 2,859 or approximately 28% of the student population. As for the operating budget, the university records in 2022 a total of 797.4 million euros in funding without the university hospital; with the university hospital, the university has a total funding amounting to approximately 2.18 billion euros.

As of 2023,the University of Munich is associated with44 Nobel laureates.Among these wereWilhelm Röntgen,Max Planck,Werner Heisenberg,Otto HahnandThomas Mann. Notable alumni, faculty and researchers includePope Benedict XVI,Rudolf Peierls,Josef Mengele,Richard Strauss,Walter Benjamin,Joseph Campbell,Muhammad Iqbal,Marie Stopes,Wolfgang Pauli,Bertolt Brecht,Max Horkheimer,Karl Loewenstein,Carl Schmitt,Gustav Radbruch,Ernst Cassirer,Ernst BlochandKonrad Adenauer.LMU has recently been conferred the title of "University of Excellence" under theGerman Universities Excellence Initiative,and is a member ofU15as well as theLERU.

History

1472–1800

University buildings inIngolstadt

Main article:University of Ingolstadt

The university was founded with papal approval in 1472 as theUniversity of Ingolstadt(foundation right ofLouis IX the Rich), with faculties of philosophy, medicine, jurisprudence and theology. Its first rector wasChristopher Mendel of Steinfels,who later becamebishop of Chiemsee.

In the period ofGerman humanism,the university's academics included names such asConrad CeltesandPetrus Apianus.The theologianJohann Eckalso taught at the university. From 1549 to 1773, the university was influenced by theJesuitsand became one of the centres of theCounter-Reformation.The JesuitPetrus Canisiusserved as rector of the university.

At the end of the 18th century, the university was influenced by theEnlightenment,which led to a stronger emphasis onnatural science.

1800–1933

Portrait ofMaximilian I Joseph of Bavaria,after whom the University of Munich was renamed in 1802

Adolf von Baeyer,Emil Fischer,Jacob Volhardand other chemists at LMU in 1877

In 1800, the Prince-Elector Maximilian IV Joseph (the laterMaximilian I, KingofBavaria) moved the university toLandshut,due to French aggression that threatened Ingolstadt during theNapoleonic Wars.In 1802, the university was renamed the Ludwig Maximilian University in honour of its two founders,Louis IX, Duke of BavariaandMaximilian I, Elector of Bavaria.The Minister of Education,Maximilian von Montgelas,initiated a number of reforms that sought to modernize the rather conservative and Jesuit-influenced university. In 1826, it was moved toMunich,the capital of theKingdom of Bavaria.The university was situated in theOld Academyuntil a new building in theLudwigstraßewas completed. The locals were somewhat critical of the number of Protestant professors Maximilian and later Ludwig I invited to Munich. They were dubbed the "Nordlichter" (northern lights), and especially physicianJohann Nepomuk von Ringseiswas quite angry about them.

View of the University of Munich from Amalienstrasse around 1900

In the second half of the 19th century, the university rose to great prominence in the European scientific community, attracting many of the world's leading scientists. It was also a period of great expansion. From 1903, women were allowed to study at Bavarian universities, and by 1918, the female proportion of students at LMU had reached 18%. In 1918,Adele Hartmannbecame the first woman in Germany to earn theHabilitation(higher doctorate), at LMU.

During theWeimar Republic,the university continued to be one of the world's leading universities, with professors such asWilhelm Röntgen,Wilhelm Wien,Richard Willstätter,Arnold SommerfeldandFerdinand Sauerbruch.

1933–1945

See also:University education in Nazi Germany

During theThird Reich,academic freedom was severely curtailed. In 1943, theWhite Rosegroup, consisting of anti-Nazi students, carried out a campaign opposing the National Socialists at this institution. The university subsequently removed Kurt Huber, a Nazi opposition fighter, from his position and revoked his doctorate upon his arrest.

Between 1933 and 1936,Karl Escherichserved as rector at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, followed byLeopold Kölblfrom 1936 to 1938,Philipp Broemserfrom 1938 to 1941, and finally,Walther Wüstfrom 1941 to 1945.

1945–present

View of the main building of LMU from Professor-Huber-Platz in 2017

TheLichthof(atrium)

Colonnade in the first floor

The university has continued to be one of the leading universities ofWest Germanyduring theCold Warand in the post-reunification era. In the late 1960s, the university was the scene of protests by radical students.

Today, the University of Munich is part of 24 Collaborative Research Centers funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and is host university of 13 of them. It also hosts 12 DFG Research Training Groups and three international doctorate programs as part of the Elite Network of Bavaria, an educational policy concept ofBavariafor the promotion of gifted pupils and students in the higher education sector. It attracts an additional 120 million euros per year in outside funding and is intensively involved in national and international funding initiatives.

LMU Munich has a wide range of degree programs, with 150 subjects available in numerous combinations. 15% of the 45,000 students who attend the university come from abroad.

In 2005, Germany's state and federal governments launched theGerman Universities Excellence Initiative,a contest among its universities. With a total of 1.9 billion euros, 75 percent of which comes from the federal state, its architects aim to strategically promote top-level research and scholarship. The money is given to more than 30 research universities in Germany.

The initiative will fund three project-oriented areas: graduate schools to promote the next generation of scholars, clusters of excellence to promote cutting-edge research, and "future concepts" for the project-based expansion of academic excellence at universities as a whole. In order to qualify for this third area, a university had to have at least one internationally recognized academiccenter of excellenceand a new graduate school. After the first round of selections, LMU Munich was invited to submit applications for all three funding lines. It entered the competition with proposals for two graduate schools and four clusters of excellence.

On Friday 13 October 2006, a blue-ribbon panel announced the results of the Germany-wide Excellence Initiative for promoting top university research and education. The panel, composed of theGerman Research Foundationand the German Science Council, has decided that LMU Munich will receive funding for all three areas covered by the Initiative: one graduate school, three "excellence clusters" and general funding for the university's "future concept".

In January 2012, scientists at the Ludwig Maximilian University published details of the most sensitive listening device known so far. This has led to the college being inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records.

In September 2018, the Munich public prosecutor's office investigated a university vice president on suspicion of embezzlement. The vice president should have claimed "excessive travel expenses".The following year, veterinary students reported that the LMU violated animal welfare standards. According to them, the LMU keeps pigs in tight grid boxes, so that some animals showed scratches, bumps and respiratory diseases from lying down. Students who reported these circumstances said that they were threatened with deregistration from the university.In the beginning of 2020, the LMU locked around 80 students in a room who wanted to discuss the topic "Climate Burns, University Burns," about why universities are doing research for companies that are harmful to theclimate.

Campus

LMU's institutes and research centers are spread throughout Munich.

Entrance to LMU's main building

Underground station Universitätserves LMU's main campus via linesU3/U6.

LMU Klinikum – Campus Großhadern,the hospital

LMU's institutes and research centers are spread throughout Munich, with several buildings located in the suburbs ofOberschleissheimandGarchingas well asMaisachandBad Tölz.The university's main buildings are grouped around Geschwister-Scholl-Platz and Professor-Huber-Platz onLudwigstrasse,extending into side streets such as Akademiestraße, Schellingstraße, and Veterinärstraße. Other large campuses and institutes are located inGroßhadern(Klinikum Großhadern),Martinsried(chemistry and biotechnology campus), the Ludwigsvorstadt (Klinikum Innenstadt) and in theLehel(Institut am Englischen Garten), across from the main buildings, through theEnglischer Garten.

The university's main building is situated inGeschwister-Scholl-Platzand the university's main campus is served by theMunich subway'sUniversitätstation.

Great Assembly Hall (Große Aula)

Große Aula

The große Aula is located in the university main building at Ludwigstraße in Munich. The Aula was constructed as part of the main building byFriedrich von Gärtnerand completed in 1840. The hall is situated in the firstfloorand extends to the second floor.

The Aula was not destroyed duringWorld War IIand, thus, is one of few usable pre war venues inMunich.The Aula was used for the first performances of concerts after the war. Furthermore, it was venue for the constituent assembly of the state ofBavaria,where the current Bavarian constitution was enacted.

Today, the Aula hosts mainly concerts, talks and lectures.

Academics

Fields of study

Despite theBologna Processwhich saw the demise of most traditional academic-degree courses such as theDiplomandMagister Artiumin favour of the more internationally knownBachelorsandMasterssystem, the University of Munich continues to offer more than 100 areas of study with numerous combinations of majors and minors.

In line with the university's internationalisation as a popular destination for tertiary studies, an increasing number of courses mainly at the graduate and post-graduate levels are also available in English to cater to international students who may have little or no background in the German language.Some notable subject areas which currently offer programmes in English include various fields ofpsychology,physicsas well as business and management.

Faculties

LMU's Institute of Systematic Botany is located atBotanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg.

Faculty of chemistry buildings at theMartinsriedcampus of LMU Munich

The university consists of 18 faculties which oversee various departments and institutes.The official numbering of the faculties and the missing numbers 06 and 14 are the result of breakups and mergers of faculties in the past. The Faculty of Forestry Operations with number 06 has been integrated into theTechnical University of Munichin 1999 and faculty number 14 has been merged with faculty number 13.

• 01 Faculty ofCatholic Theology
• 02 Faculty ofProtestant Theology
• 03 Faculty of Law
• 04 Faculty ofBusiness Administration
• 05 Faculty of Economics
• 07 Faculty of Medicine
• 08 Faculty ofVeterinary Medicine
• 09 Faculty for History and the Arts
• 10 Faculty of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Study of Religion
• 11 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
• 12 Faculty for the Study of Culture
• 13 Faculty for Languages and Literatures
• 15 Faculty ofSocial Sciences
• 16 Faculty of Mathematics,Computer Scienceand Statistics
• 17 Faculty ofPhysics
• 18 Faculty ofChemistryandPharmacy
• 19 Faculty ofBiology
• 20 Faculty ofGeosciencesandEnvironmental Sciences

Research centres

Audimax

In addition to its 18 faculties, the University of Munich also maintains numerous research centres involved in numerous cross-faculty and transdisciplinary projects to complement its various academic programmes.Some of these research centres were a result of cooperation between the university and renowned external partners from academia and industry; theRachel Carson Center for Environment and Society,for example, was established through a joint initiative between LMU Munich and theDeutsches Museum,while the Parmenides Center for the Study of Thinking resulted from the collaboration between theParmenides Foundationand LMU Munich's Human Science Center.

Some of the research centres which have been established include:

• Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich(CIPSM)
• Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences(GSN)
• Helmholtz Zentrum München– German Research Center for Environmental Health
• Nanosystems Initiative Munich(NIM)
• ParmenidesCenter for the Study of Thinking
• Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society

Tuition and fees

Universities in Bavaria do not charge tuition fees. Instead, a mandatory semester fee has to be paid that is fully transferred to the student union for providing, amongst other services, housing and lunch options for students.

Rankings

University rankings
Overall – Global & National
QSWorld2025 59 2 THEWorld2025 =38 2 ARWUWorld2024 43 =1 QSEurope QSEmployability THEEmployability

The 2025QS World University Rankingsrank LMU Munich 59th overall in the world and 2nd in Germany.In the 2024 QS Subject Rankings, the university is highly ranked in the arts and humanities, natural sciences, and life sciences and medicine.

TheTimes Higher Education Ranking2024 ranks LMU Munich 2nd in Germany, and 38th in the world.In the 2023 THE subject rankings, LMU is ranked first in Germany in the arts and humanities, law, and psychology.

TheAcademic Ranking of World Universitiesranks LMU Munich joint 2nd nationally and 59th in the world as of 2023.In the subjects of physics, education, communication, public administration, and hospitality, it is ranked first in Germany.

In 2018 and 2019, the LMU took 1st place based on the number ofDAXboard of managementmembers.The top 3 universities in 2019 were the LMU Munich, theRWTH Aachenand theTechnische Universität Darmstadt.According to the funding report of theGerman Research Foundation(DFG) of 2021, which breaks down the grants from 2017 to 2019, LMU Munich ranked 1st among German universities. By area, it ranked 1st in thelife sciences,2nd in thehumanitiesandsocial sciences,and 6th in thenatural sciences.In November 2018 Expertscape recognized it as one of the top ten institutions in the world inpancreatic cancer.

QSWorld University Rankings by Subject 2024

Subject	Global	National
Arts & Humanities	=38	2
Linguistics	=65	2–3
Theology, Divinity and Religious Studies	24	4
Archaeology	=36	5
Classics and Ancient History	8	3
English Language and Literature	59	3
History	27	2
Modern Languages	45	3
Philosophy	6	1
Engineering and Technology	=216	8
Computer Science and Information Systems	90	3
Life Sciences & Medicine	=46	2
Anatomy and Physiology	37	1
Biological Sciences	26	1
Dentistry	51–100	1–4
Medicine	=38	2
Pharmacy and Pharmacology	55	2
Psychology	=47	1
Veterinary Science	39	1
Natural Sciences	=42	2
Chemistry	=48	3
Earth and Marine Sciences	51–100	1–7
Environmental Sciences	151–200	7–11
Geography	101–150	3–6
Geology	51–100	1–6
Geophysics	51–100	1–7
Materials Sciences	101–150	7–8
Mathematics	=114	5
Physics and Astronomy	=32	3
Social Sciences & Management	=93	2
Accounting and Finance	92	2
Anthropology	51–100	2–5
Business and Management Studies	151–200	4
Communication and Media Studies	23	1
Economics and Econometrics	41	1
Education and Training	101–150	2–4
Law and Legal Studies	=43	1
Politics	51–100	2–4
Social Policy and Administration	101–130	4
Sociology	=77	3
Statistics and Operational Research	51–100	3–5

THEWorld University Rankings by Subject 2024

Subject	Global	National
Arts & humanities	15	1
Business & economics	36	2
Clinical & health	50	3
Computer science	62	4
Education	61	3
Law	25	1
Life sciences	41	3
Physical sciences	27	2
Psychology	23	1
Social sciences	=61	4

ARWUGlobal Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023

Subject	Global	National
Natural Sciences
Mathematics	101–150	6–9
Physics	36	1
Chemistry	101–150	5–9
Earth Sciences	76–100	3–4
Geography	201–300	10–15
Ecology	201–300	17–27
Atmospheric Science	101–150	6–9
Engineering
Electrical & Electronic Engineering	401–500	12–16
Biomedical Engineering	151–200	6–10
Computer Science & Engineering	301–400	8–10
Materials Science & Engineering	151–200	6–7
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	101–150	3–5
Environmental Science & Engineering	301–400	13–18
Biotechnology	201–300	10–16
Remote Sensing	76–100	3
Life Sciences
Biological Sciences	51–75	4
Human Biological Sciences	41	3
Agricultural Sciences	401–500	20–22
Veterinary Sciences	76–100	3–4
Medical Sciences
Clinical Medicine	76–100	4
Public Health	101–150	4
Dentistry & Oral Sciences	101–150	8–14
Medical Technology	16	3
Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences	51–75	5–8
Social Sciences
Economics	51–75	2
Statistics	101–150	2–6
Law	201–300	3–6
Political Sciences	51–75	3–4
Sociology	76–100	4–5
Education	51–75	1
Communication	16	1
Psychology	51–75	1–4
Business Administration	201–300	4–8
Management	201–300	3–7
Public Administration	26	1
Hospitality & Tourism Management	151–200	1

One Munich Strategy Forum

The LMU and theTechnical University of Munichhave come together to work on "One Munich Strategy Forum", with a €2.5 million fund from the state ofBavaria.

Munich International Summer University

The Munich International Summer University (MISU at LMU) is the Summer University by LMU, which takes place annually in Munich and depending on the course also involves stays at different European cities. MISU invites international students to attend short-term programs at the LMU Munich in order to progress academically even in winter or summer breaks at their home university. MISU hereby offers two course formats: On the one hand German Language classes are held at different times over the year. On the other hand, MISU offers 16 subject-specific Summer Schools and Winter Schools covering a wide range of academic fields. Around 1000 students from nearly 90 countries joined MISU short-term programs in 2019.

Germany has a long tradition of hosting summer programs for international students.The LMU Munich organised its Summer University for the first time in 1927. Labelled asSommerkurse für Ausländer(Summer Courses for Foreigners) the Summer University ran annually until 1934 and primarily consisted of German Language courses for international students.After a longer intermittence period, LMU's Summer University resumed asInternationaler Münchner Sommer(International Summer in Munich). Since then the number of courses has increased and the range of subject-specific Summer Schools was extended to further academic disciplines. From 2008 onwards LMU's Summer University operates under the name Munich International Summer University (MISU).

A central aim of MISU is to boost the internationality of the LMU Munich in terms of research and teaching.Compared to semester-basedstudent exchange programs,short-term programs such as Summer Schools have the advantage for international students to receive a very intensive and concise insight into the research areas and campus at the LMU Munich.MISU hereby has the objective to combine excellent academic education with extra-curricular activities. Participants are thus not only supervised intensively by established researchers on selected topics but are also introduced to the history, culture and politics of Munich, Bavaria and Germany. Moreover, the Summer University allows the LMU Munich to intensify cooperation with international partner universities. MISU's short-term programs therefore strengthen the LMU's international visibility as one of the highest ranked universities in Europe.

Notable alumni and faculty members

Main articles:List of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich peopleandList of Nobel laureates by university affiliation

The alumni of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich played a major role in the development ofquantum mechanics.Max Planck,the founder ofquantum theoryand Nobel laureate inPhysicsin 1918, was an alumnus of the university. Founders ofquantum mechanicssuch asWerner Heisenberg,Wolfgang Pauli,and others were associated with the university. Most recently, to honor the Nobel laureate inChemistryGerhard Ertl,who worked as a professor at the University of Munich from 1973 to 1986, the building of thePhysical Chemistrywas named after him.

Pakistani philosopher and poet SirMuhammad Iqbal,regarded as the "Poet of the East" and "The Thinker of Pakistan", earned his PhD degree from the Ludwig Maximilian University,Munichin 1908. Working under the guidance ofFriedrich Hommel,Iqbal published his doctoral thesis in 1908, entitledThe Development of Metaphysics in Persia.

Theanti-NaziresistanceWhite Rosewas based in this university.

• 
  Pope Benedict XVIwas a student and professor at LMU Munich.
• 
  Wilhelm Conrad Röntgenreceived theNobel Prize in Physicsin 1901.
• 
  Ferenc Krauszreceived theNobel Prize in Physicsin 2023.
• 
  Theodor W. Hänschreceived theNobel Prize in Physicsin 2005.
• 
  Otto Hahnreceived theNobel Prize in Chemistryin 1944.
• 
  Werner Heisenbergreceived theNobel Prize in Physicsin 1932.
• 
  Max Planckreceived the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918.
• 
  Hans Bethereceived the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics.
• 
  Nobel Prize-winning novelistThomas Manngave numerous lectures at LMU Munich.
• 
  Karl Jasperswas a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher.
• 
  Philosopher, Persian and Urdu poet SirMuhammad Iqbalstudied philosophy at LMU Munich.
• 
  Hans-Werner Sinn,professor of economics at LMU Munich
• 
  Blake Ragsdale Van Leer,United States Army officer and president ofGeorgia Institute of Technology
• 
  Konrad AdenauerwasChancellor of Germanyfrom 1949 to 1963.
• 
  Valdas Adamkus,President of Lithuania 1998–2003 and 2004–2009
• 
  Bertolt Brecht,poet, playwright and theatre director
• 
  The sociologistMax Weberwas a professor at LMU Munich.
• 
  Rudolf Hesswas the Deputy Führer ofNational Socialist Germanyfrom 1933 to 1941.
• 
  Josef Mengelewas aSchutzstaffel(SS) officer.
• 
  Hermann Göringwas one of the most powerful figures in theNazi Party.
• 
  Heinrich Brüningserved asChancellor of Germanyduring theWeimar Republicfrom 1930 to 1932.

See also

• Education in Germany
• List of forestry universities and colleges
• List of modern universities in Europe (1801–1945)
• List of universities in Germany

External links

• Official website
• 360° Panorama at the Ludwig Maximilian University
• Munich International Summer University (MISU at LMU Munich)