The University of Exeter located in Southwestern England traces its roots to 1855. In 1955, as a result of the merger of various colleges and technical schools, University of Exeter received its Royal Charter. The University of Exeter has over 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students and operates in conjunction with other universities including a medical college. The University of Exeter is among the top universities world-wide according to various ranking points. The St. Luke campus houses the Peninsula Medical College, a joint effort with the University of Plymouth. Exeter enjoys the reputation for being student-friendly and acquires students from all over Europe and other countries. Exeter leads other universities in the U.K in funding for research. Research initiatives include studies on aging and dementia, biodiversity, ornithology, agriculture and livestock, disease and numerous technology initiatives.