As a higher education space, Pablo de Olavide University is at the service of society and is defined as a place of reflection and critical thinking committed to contributing to progress, with the teaching of respect for fundamental rights and public liberties, with the promotion of equality between women and men, solidarity and human values, and the response to the needs and problems of contemporary society.

The University seeks the broadest social projection of its activities, establishing in this way channels of collaboration and assistance to society to contribute and support social, economic and cultural progress. It also encourages the participation of members of its University community in activities and projects of international cooperation and solidarity, as well as the realisation of activities and initiatives that contribute to the promotion of equality between men and women, permanent support for people with special needs, the culture of peace, sustainable development and respect for the environment.

The University is named after the Spanish-Peruvian politician Pablo de Olavide (1725–1803), who notably contributed to planning the city of Seville, by implementing enlightened and reformist policies. He also improved the Sevillian municipal treasury, public supplies, urbanism, and public works. Olavide also reformed and secularised welfare assistance and planned university reform.

Pablo de Olavide University (UPO) has a very recent life, only 22 years of existence, but it is this brief period of time that has positioned it as a dynamic and enterprising centre. In research, the University holds the second position in the scientific production of the Spanish public universities according to the publication of the magazine ‘Psicothema’,2017.

It is a unique campus of more than 400 hectares with sports facilities and new generation laboratories to serve its students and researchers. Currently, more than 1,000 teachers and more than 12,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students are the human factors of our University, being one of the most important pillars in the organisation and structure of the university world of the UPO.

There are 41 degrees offered in seven different faculties: Computer Science in the School of Engineering, four degrees in Business Sciences, three degrees in Experimental Sciences, with Biotechnology and Nutrition as main studies. Three degrees in Social Sciences, four degrees in Law and five degrees in Humanities form the basis of this young university.

Each faculty generates at least four double degrees that allow students the possibility of studying for two degrees at a time in only ten semesters. UPO also has a private academic centre attached to it. This centre –San Isidoro Centro Universitario–is at the forefront of teaching in Spain. San Isidoro is also an honorary collaborator of ECSS Sevilla 2022.

The Faculty of Sports Sciences was created in 2004, and there have been 15 promotions of graduated students already, with a total of 1,633 people working all around the world.