Columbia University was founded in 1754 as King’s College by royal charter of King George II of England.It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the United States.Today it has an enrollment of over 23,000 students in 16 schools and colleges. Columbia conducts transportation-related research through its strong departments of Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, and Industrial Engineering and Operations Research.Columbia is also home to the Earth Institute, which supports pioneering interdisciplinary research to address complex issues facing the planet and its inhabitants.Within the Earth Institute is the Center for Sustainable Urban Development, one of three Centers of Excellence in Future Urban Transport established by the Volvo Research and Education Foundations.