The University of Calicut was set up in the year 1968 as the second University in Kerala.To establish the University the main initiative was taken by C.H. Mohammed Koya, C. Achutha Menon, and K.P. Kesava Menon. It is located near Kozhikode city, Kerala.The main campus of the University is located at Thenjipalam.There are also three centers at Trichur, Calicut and Vatakara. The main principles of the University are to develop technical and technological education, conduct research and training in the social sciences and languages.

There are 262 colleges affiliated to the University including Post Graduate Arts and Science Colleges, Law Colleges, Medical Colleges, First Grade Colleges, Teachers Training colleges, Engineering Colleges, Ayurveda Colleges Oriental Title Colleges, Fine Arts college, Hotel Management colleges.

The University has departments of Arabic, Botany, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Commerce & Management Studies, Education, English, Hindi, History, Mass Communication & Journalism, Life Science, Library and Information Science, Malayalam, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Physical Education, Psychology, Russian, Sanskrit, Statistics, and Zoology. The University enrolls 2.75 lakh students on an average in every year.

There are two main departments at the Calicut center of the University. The two departments are Department of Economics and The School Of Drama & Fine Arts. Courses in Health Sciences and Costume and Fashion Design are taught at Calicut Center. There are two post Graduate departments at the Vartaka center. These two departments are Centre for Folklore Studies and the Kunjali Marakkar Centre for West Asian Studies.

Apart from the graduate and post-graduate courses the University also offers integrated M.Phil/Ph.D programme. The University has recently started some new courses in computer application & information technology, health sciences, fashion design, social work, printing technology, computer hardware and automobile engineering. The University has also introduced courses in electronics and communication, printing technology, electrical and electronics and IT streams.