Umeå University is a public research university located in Umeå, in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965. It ranks as the fifth-oldest university within Sweden’s present borders. The university enrolls more than 36,000 registered students. This figure includes approximately 16,000 full-time students at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. It also employs over 4,000 staff members. About half of them work as teachers and researchers, including 310 professors.
The university has earned strong international recognition for its research. It leads important studies on the genomes of the poplar tree and the Norway spruce. The university is also well known for its highly ranked Institute of Design, particularly in the field of industrial design. The QS World University Rankings 2026 have placed the university at #401.