the General Counsel for legal affairs. There are currently eight central service institutions (ZE) of the FU: Botanical Garden Berlin and Botanical Museum Berlin Center for Academic Advising, Career and Counselling Services Center for Continuing Studies Center for Recreational Sports Center for the Promotion of Woman's and Gender Studies Computing Services (ZEDAT) Language Center Academic library The ISQ ("Institut für Schulqualität der Länder Berlin und Brandenburg", Institute for Quality of Schools in Berlin and Brandenburg) is an independent facility on the campus. It consults local schools and the senate to achieve and develop a high standard of school quality in Berlin and Brandenburg and closely cooperates with the Department of Education and Psychology of the FU. The Collegium Musicum of Free University of Berlin was founded during the first semester in 1948/49. Under conductor Karl Forster, it merged with the ensemble of the Technical University Berlin in 1954. Today, the Collegium Musicum has around 500 members from all fields of studies who spend their leisure time making music. It currently consists of five ensembles: a big choir, a chamber choir, two symphony orchestras and a big band. There are frequently events on which the Collegium Musicum plays, for instance on ceremonies. Structure With 12 departments (FB) and three interdisciplinary central institutes, the university can be seen as an universitas litterarum (a traditional university where studies in all basic sciences is possible). Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy The department is split into three different institutes: The Institute of Biology, which specializes primarily in molecular botany, microbiology, neurobiology, ecological processes and biodiversity, the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, where research is focused on structural formation, function and chemical reactivity, stereoselective/macromolecular synthesis and molecular, medical and structural biochemistry and the Institute of Pharmacy, the largest pharmaceutical training facility in Germany. Department of Earth Sciences The department is divided into the Institute of Geographical Sciences, the Institute of Geological Sciences and the Institute of Meteorology. Research focuses mainly on the interactive physical, chemical, and biological processes taking place within the Earth, on the Earth's surface, and the Earth's atmosphere, as well as on the interactions between humans and the environment. Since 1954, the Institute of Meteorology is the institution that names the low and high pressure systems in central Europe, comparably to the National Weather Service in the US. Department of History and Cultural Studies, which consists of eight subunits, the Friedrich Meinecke Institute