The
University of Kiel (
German:
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel,
CAU) is a
university in the city of
Kiel,
Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the
Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by
Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 24,000 students today. The University of Kiel is the largest, oldest, and most prestigious in the state of
Schleswig-Holstein. Until 1864/66 it was not only the northernmost university in Germany but at the same time the 2nd largest university of
Denmark.