The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA. Founded in 1956, USF is the ninth largest university in the nation and the third largest in the state of Florida, with a total enrollment of 47,122 as of 2009. USF has an autonomous campus in St. Petersburg, and branch centers in Sarasota and Lakeland. USF is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a "very high research" institution. In 2009, the University of South Florida was recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education as the fastest growing research university in the United States. Furthermore, in its 2010 ranking, the IPO placed USF 9th among all universities worldwide in the number of US patents granted. The university has an annual budget of $1.8 billion and an annual economic impact of $3.7 billion.