The University of Granada (Universidad de Granada) was founded in 1531, under the initiative of the Emperor Carlos V, by means of a Papal Bull from Pope Clemente VII. In this way, Granada asserted its vocation as a university city which was open to different cultures, people and beliefs.

University of Granada has been an exceptional witness to history, as its influence in the city's social and cultural environment grew until it was to become, over a period of almost five centuries, an intellectual and cultural nucleus in Southern Spain in its own right. It is currently a committed institution which is deeply involved in its setting, as shown in the University Reform Law (LRU), which defines universities as centers at the service of society, by means of teaching, research and the provision of services. In recent years, the University of Granada has faced, under the protection of the LRU and university autonomy, the greatest growth in its history, placing it among the top Spanish universities. Some 80,000 people are directly linked with the University of Granada, among them students, teachers and administrative and service staff.