The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The official abbreviation is UA, but UAntwerpen is more recently used. It has about 20,000 students, which makes it the third largest university in Flanders. The University of Antwerp is characterised by its high standards in education, internationally competitive research and entrepreneurial approach. It was founded in 2003 after the merger of three smaller universities.