University of Duisburg
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The old University of Duisburg is the university of the German city with the same name.
Its origins trace back to the 1555 decision to create a university for the unified duchies at the Lower Rhine that were later to be merged into Prussia. After the foundation of an academic college in 1559 it was not until 1655, when a university was founded by Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, the "Great Elector". It existed until 1818, when it was closed by King Frederick William III of Prussia. The university had four faculties: Theology, Medicine, Law and Arts. During its period of activity it was one of the central universities of the western provinces of Prussia. When it was closed, it was succeeded by the University of Bonn which was founded the same year and took over the library and sceptres of the Duisburg university.
A new institution of higher education, with no continuity to the old university, was established in Duisburg in 1968. It was known as the Gerhard Mercator University of Duisburg from 1994, and was 2003 merged with the University of Essen to form the University of Duisburg-Essen.
