Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) was established in 1965 as the successor organization to Düsseldorf's Medical Academy of 1907. It was named after German poet Heinrich Heine. Since 1993, the university has had five faculties after several expansions over the years. More than 36,000 full-time students are currently enrolled at HHU. HHU has a total staff of approximately 3,600 people.
Heinrich Heine University sees itself as a civic university that attaches particular importance to opening up to society. As a dialogue-oriented and transparent research and educational institution, it actively seeks exchange between science and society and thus promotes the broadest possible public access to research and education. Activities that are aimed at the dialogue between the HHU and its members and relatives with citizens in Düsseldorf and beyond are brought together under the term "Citizens' University" and coordinated by the Citizens' University staff unit set up specifically for this purpose.
The roughly triangular campus of HHU is located in the Bilk district of Düsseldorf, in the southeast. Due to its high service standards and collection volume, the ULB Düsseldorf is one of three state libraries in North Rhine-Westphalia and one of Germany's innovation leaders in the library sector. The ZIM, as a central unit and (multi)media center of HHU, offers competencies and services in the delivery and processing of digital information. Digital communication and digital media are two other areas of interest. The Botanical Garden of Düsseldorf is a scientific institution of HHU that grows over 6,000 different types of plants from all over the world. It is open to the public all year round.