University of Kelvia

The University of Kelvia (Finnish: Kelvian yliopisto, abbreviated as UK) is a public research university based in Kelvia, Arola. Founded in 1921 by the British colonial government to provide higher education for the Arolan population, it has since become one of the most prestigious universities in the Nordic region. As of 2023, the university has 34,772 students enrolled into its degree programmes.

Prior to the 1960s, admission was mostly determined by entrance exams, however the requirements have been slightly relaxed in recent years with interview sessions replacing examinations. Nevertheless, entrance to the university is still quite selective and due to this is one of the highest ranking universities in the world.

The UK's main campus is located in the Rantalahti district, with administrative buildings and most faculty buildings situated on the main campus.

British era (1921-1958)
The University of Kelvia was founded in January 1921 by the British colonial government, with the intention to improve higher education in the then crown colony of Arola, and enrollment began that same year. A majority of students that enrolled during this period were the Arolan population, since it only served as a local university at the time.

During the Nazi occupation in World War II, the university was placed in the management of the Nazi Party and programmes were drastically changed to fit with the party's ideals. After the war ended, the British regained control.

Modern era (1958-present)
Following Arola's independence in 1958, ownership of the university was transferred to the newly formed Arolan government. As such, the policies of the university changed once again, with the entrance examination requirement lifted in 1965 in favour of interviews, which ensured that enrollment continued to stay competitive even without the use of examinations. In May 1969, the university was expanded west of the original campus, with a wider range of faculties.

In 1977, the Faculty of Computing (later renamed the Faculty of Technology) opened. The National Library of Arola, which only received minor upgrades since the university's foundation, was renovated significantly in 1988.

As part of the university's centennial in 2021, the colours of the university changed to light blue and royal blue.