Tel Aviv University (English: Tel Aviv University; Hebrew:). TAU for short is an Israeli national university, located in Tel Aviv, the second largest city in Israel, and the center of the largest city. As of 2006, Tel Aviv University had 29,000 students. Tel Aviv University was founded in 1955. The university was established on the basis of merging three original higher education institutions, with the purpose of meeting the need of establishing a university in Tel Aviv, the most densely populated area of the State of Israel. At present, it has become the largest university in Israel, with many disciplines, and attaches great importance to the research of basic and applied sciences. The university also has specialized research institutes, which are mainly engaged in strategic research, health care system management, technology prediction and energy research.