The University of Coimbra is a public university in Portugal. Founded in 1290 in Lisbon, it was transferred to Coimbra in 1308, alternating between the two cities until 1537, when it is definitely settled in in Coimbra. It is one of the oldest universities in the world, and the oldest one in Portugal, being also the largest institute of higher education and research. The university is the birthplace and one of the founders of the oldest and most respected leading research-oriented university leagues – the Coimbra Group. The university enrolls over 20,000 students, having a large community of international students and being the most internationalized university in Portugal.

With over seven centuries, the University of Coimbra has a unique tangible and intangible heritage, keystone in the scientific culture of Europe and the World. The University of Coimbra was classified as World Heritage by the UNESCO in 2013 for its central role in the production of knowledge and dissemination of culture in Portuguese language in the world, as well as for the universal value of its campus, which dates back to the 16th century. Coimbra offers an outstanding example of an integrated university city with a specific urban typology as well as its own ceremonial and cultural traditions that have been kept alive through the ages.