The Old University houses the University Museum, the Old Assembly Hall, and the Rector's Office.
This describes a requirement profile that has been translated into scientific action by eminent scholars through the centuries. Great names define the history of the Ruprecht Karls University, founded in 1386. Among them were the philosopher Georg Willhelm Friedrich Hegel, the chemist Robert Bunsen, the physicist Hermann von Helmholtz, the economist, and social scientist Max Weber, and the philosopher Karl Jaspers. Currently, about 28,000 students are enrolled. They study and research in 12 faculties and 14 special research areas. Core competencies lie in the field of life sciences. In recognized rankings, Heidelberg University occupies top positions in medicine, the life sciences, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Law and the many "small" subjects ranging from Classical Studies and European Cultural Studies to East and South Asian Studies are also excellently positioned.
The fact that studying in Heidelberg is appreciated worldwide as evidenced by the fact that more than 20 percent of the student body here is made up of foreigners. The combination of excellent teaching and research has opened the gates wide for Ruperto Carola's inclusion in the circle of elite universities. Since 2007, Germany's oldest university has been one of the universities of excellence.