
The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg; German: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg) is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. Founded in 1402, it is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in Germany. The university initially had a brief run and was closed in 1415. It was reopened in 1582 on the initiative of Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn. Today, the university is named for Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn and Maximilian Joseph. The University of Würzburg is part of the U15 group of research-intensive German universities. The university is also a member of the Coimbra Group. In the winter semester 2025/2026, 25,281 students are enrolled, of which 15,489 are women, 3,078 are international students and 2,919 are first semester university students. The University is associated with 14 Nobel laureates.