The University of Salerno is ideally linked to the oldest academic institution in the Old Continent:the Schola Medica Salernitana. Founded in the eighth century AD, the School reached its peakbetween the 10th and 13th century. In addition to medicine, its lectures included philosophy, theologyand law. The School, which earned Salerno the title of Hippocratica Civitas (City of Hippocrates) afterthe famous Greek physician and treatise writer, was closed by royal decree in 1811 under JoachimMurat’s Napoleonic government. In 1944, by decree of king Victor Emmanuel III, the IstitutoUniversitario di Magistero “Giovanni Cuomo” was founded. This became state-owned in 1968,changing its name into Facoltà di Magistero dell’Università degli Studi di Salerno. Within a few years,the Faculty was joined by many others, which contributed to the formation of a major university. TheFaculty of Arts was established in 1969. This was followed by the Faculty of Economics (1970); theFaculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, and the Faculty of Law (1972); the Full Degreein Engineering (1983); the Faculty of Pharmacy (1991); the Faculty of Political Science (1992); theFaculty of Foreign Languages and Literature (1996); finally, the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery(2006). As of 1987, the University is located in the town of Fisciano, a few kilometers from Salerno,at the junction of motorway intersections that make it central and easy to reach. The university is avery large compound in continuous expansion, covering around 100,000 square metres. Organizedin the form of a campus (comprising the campuses of Fisciano and Baronissi), the university isequipped with residence halls for students and teachers, and boasts modern facilities and efficientservices for orientation, teaching, studying and leisure activities. It currently counts about 40,000students from Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Apulia.