[6] The university's interdisciplinary research targets life sciences, pathways to sustainability, dynamics of youth, and institutions for open societies.

[7] It has its roots in the Illustrious School of Utrecht, which founded two years earlier in 1634 before being elevated to the status of university in 1636.

Anna Maria van Schurman, who became the university's first female student, was invited to write a Latin poem for the inauguration.

[7] Leiden, Leuven, Groningen, Utrecht and Ghent were the five universities (Dutch: hoge scholen) of the new state.

Two of the universities (Leuven and Ghent) became part of the new Belgian state after their respective provinces separated from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1830.

Around 1850 the "Utrechtian School" of science formed, with Pieter Harting, Gerardus J. Mulder, Christophorus H. D. Buys Ballot and Franciscus Donders among the leading scientists.

[9] There are also three interfaculty units: The two large faculties of Humanities and Law & Governance are situated in the inner city of Utrecht.

The other five faculties and most of the administrative services are located in Utrecht Science Park De Uithof, a campus area on the outskirts of the city.

The university counts several heads of state and government amongst its graduates, including: 4 members of Dutch royal house, 6 Prime Ministers of the Netherlands, an American Founding Father and signatory to the United States Constitution Hugh Williamson, 1 Prime Minister of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, an ancestor of both Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales, First Lord of the Treasury: Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 4 foreign heads of state or government, and 35 Ministers of the Cabinet of the Netherlands.

Other alumni include English economist Nicholas Barbon, one of the first proponents of the free market,[22] German Margrave of Baden-Durlach, Charles III William, Margrave of Baden-Durlach who established the city Karlsruhe,[22] René Descartes, French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician who developed the techniques of analytical geometry, was taught at Utrecht University.