The University of Regensburg (German: Universität Regensburg) is a public research university located in the medieval city of Regensburg, Bavaria, a city that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university was founded on July 18, 1962 by the Landtag of Bavaria as the fourth fully-fledged university in Bavaria. Following groundbreaking in 1965, the university officially opened to students during the 1967–1968 winter semester, initially housing faculties in Law and Business Sciences and Philosophy. During the summer semester of 1968 the faculty of Theology was created. Currently, the University of Regensburg houses twelve faculties. The university actively participates in the European Union's SOCRATES programme as well as several TEMPUS programmes. The university is traditionally considered rather conservative compared to other German universities. Its most famous academic, the current Pope Benedict XVI, served as a professor there until 1977 and formally retains his chair in theology. Attempts to establish a university in Regensburg had been advocated since the late 15th century.