University of Troms� was opened here in 1972, at the time one of four universities in Norway and the only one serving the northern half of the country. The teacher's college and the museum were eventually incorporated into the university. The Norwegian Polar Institute was also relocated to Troms� from Oslo in 1998.
Troms� has been named after the island of Troms�ya, which it is situated on. While the last element of the city's name comes from Danish � which means "island" (Norwegian: �y), the etymology of the first element is uncertain. Several theories exist. One theory holds "Troms-" to derive from the old (uncompounded) name of the island (Old Norse: Trums). Several islands and rivers in Norway have the name Tromsa, and the names of these are probably derived from the word straumr which means "(strong) stream". (The original form must then have been Strums, for the missing s see Indo-European s-mobile.) Another theory holds that Troms�ya was originally called Lille Troms�ya (Little Troms�ya), because of its proximity to the much bigger island today called Kval�ya, that according to this theory was earlier called "Store Troms�ya" due to a characteristic mountain known as Tromma (the Drum). The mountain's name in S�mi, Rumbbu?ohkka, is identical in meaning, and it is said to have been a sacred mountain for the S�mi in pre-Christian times.
The S�mi name of the island, Romsa, is assumed to be a loan from Norse - but according to the phonetical rules of the Sami language the frontal t has disappeared from the name. However, an alternative form - Tromsa - is in informal use. There is a theory that holds the Norwegian name of Troms� derives from the S�mi name, though this theory lacks an explanation for the meaning of Romsa. A common misunderstanding is that Troms�'s S�mi name is Romssa with a double "s". This, however, is the accusative and genitive form of the noun used when, for example, writing "Troms� Municipality" (Romssa Suohkan)
