The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń is a Polish public higher education institution that was founded in 1945. It offers a wide range of educational programs and is the oldest and largest university in Northern Poland, as well as one of the leading research universities in the country. The university's mission is to develop and disseminate knowledge through scientific research and the sharing of its results, as well as to educate students, doctoral candidates, scientific staff, and academic teachers. The Nicolaus Copernicus University consists of 16 faculties (including 3 medical faculties), located in Toruń and Bydgoszcz, as well as other units, including the University Library with a collection of approximately 3 million documents, publications, and other materials supporting scientific research and education. The university offers over 80 fields of study and educates several thousand students from Poland and abroad.