Harvard University, established in 1636, holds the distinction of being the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It is also considered one of the premier universities in the world, with 12 degree-granting schools and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies. The University has grown from nine students with a single master to an enrollment of more than 20,000 degree candidates including undergraduate, graduate and professional students. There are more than 371,000 living alumni, over 279,000 in the U.S. and over 59,000 in some 202 other countries. Among its faculty and alumni are 49 Nobel laureates, 48 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 32 current and former heads of state. The school’s historic campus is also home to the largest academic library in the world.