Goa University is located on the Taleigao Plateau which is five kilometers away from the state capital Panaji.This is the only University of the state. It was established in the year 1985 under the provision of Goa University Act, 1984.At that time Center for Post Graduate Instruction and Research of the University of Bombay, located at Panaji was also merged with the University of Goa.The main objectives of the University are providing higher education under various faculties to the State of Goa, providing facilities for research in various fields and providing degrees in various faculties to all the successful candidates.

The University offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for the student. There are 12 faculties on the campus of the University which include The Faculty of Language and Literature, The Faculty of Natural Sciences, The Faculty of Commerce, The Faculty of Social Sciences, The Faculty of Life Sciences and Environment, The Faculty of Management Studies, The Faculty of Engineering, The Faculty of Design, The Faculty of Law, The Faculty of Medicine, The Faculty of Performing, Fine Arts and Music.There are 23 departments including the departments of English, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, French and Portuguese Chemistry, Computer Science and technology,Earth Science, Electronics, Physics and Mathematics, Economics, History, Political Science, Philosophy and Sociology Botany, Bio-technlogy,Micro-biology,Marine science and Zoology etc are operated by those faculties.

There are also two centers of studies, which offer Doctorate degrees in various disciplines. Apart from Masters and Doctorate degrees post the University also offers graduate diploma courses in different subjects. There are several colleges affiliated to the University. Goa University offers two new courses-portugese language course and M.com in distance learning mode.The Universuty has started degree courses in Nursing, Physical Education and Fire Technology from2004. Goa University offers a course on online programme in GIS, in collaboration with the Centre for Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg, Austria.In 2006 NAAC accridited the University with 4 stars.