The Universidad de Sevilla (US) is a public university founded in 1505. During the 16th century (1505), Pope Julius II granted the College the authority to award degrees in Theology, Philosophy, Law, Medicine and Arts. However, it was not until 1551 that the City Council recognised the foundation created by Archdeacon Maese Rodrigo Fernández de Santaella as an Official University. In its five hundred years of history since its foundation as the College of Santa María de Jesús at the beginning of the 16th century, the University of Seville has gone through different stages and has managed to position itself as a leading university in all its functions and successfully adapt to the European Higher Education Area.