University of La Laguna

The University of La Laguna, also known as the ULL, is situated in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on the island of Tenerife. It is the oldest university in the Canary Islands. It has six campuses: Central, Anchieta, Guajara, Campus del Sur, Ofra and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.In 2015, the University of La Laguna entered the ranking of the top 500 universities in the world by the Institute of Education in Shanghai, being the only of the two Canarian public universities to enter the ranking. In addition, the Leiden ranking, prepared by the Center for Studies of Science and Technology of the Leiden University, has ranked the University of La Laguna as the first Spanish university in scientific collaboration. Meanwhile, in 2016 the University of La Laguna was recognized as the second best university in Spain in Humanities, according to a survey by the Everis Foundation.HistoryIts origins date to the year 1701 when a center for advanced studies was established by the Augustinians in the town of La Laguna. A Papal Bull of 1744 proposed that it be converted into the Ecclesiastical University of San Agustín.In 1792, by royal decree, Charles IV of Spain ordered the establishment in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, then the capital of Tenerife and Canary Islands, of the first Universidad Literaria of the Canaries, but the political situation on the mainland prevented its establishment. However, with the restoration of the House of Bourbon in the guise of Fernando VII of Spain, the university was established at La Laguna as the Universidad de San Fernando. In this role it played an important role the priest Cristóbal Bencomo y Rodríguez, confessor of King Ferdinand VII and Titular Archbishop of Heraclea.