Ca' Foscari University of Venice is a public university in Venice, Italy; it is usually known simply as Università Ca' Foscari. Since its foundation in 1868 it has been housed in the Venetian Gothic palace of Ca' Foscari, from which it takes its name. The palace stands on the Grand Canal, between the Rialto and San Marco, in the sestiere of Dorsoduro. The institute became a university in 1968. It currently has eight departments and almost 19,000 students.