The University of Ioannina (Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων, Panepistimio Ioanninon) is a university lying in the plains 5 km southwest of Ioannina, Greece. The campus is linked to the town by Greek National Road 5. It now hosts over 20,000 students in 17 faculties (2006). The university was founded in 1964, as a department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and became a university at 1970. There is a prominent medical school that performs research and provides doctors to the local University Hospital. The University Campus is located 6 km from the centre of Ioannina and is one of the largest University campuses in Greece. It can be easily reached from the city either by public transportation or by car. It covers a total area of almost 850 acres (3.4 km) with many green open spaces which surround the four main building. These buildings cover an area of 170,000 m2, consisting of lecture halls, offices, laboratories, libraries, etc. Large classes are held in auditoriums, while scientific meetings and exhibitions are held in the Conference Centre located in the newly constructed Medical Sciences complex.