The University of Algarve, founded in 1979, is a Portuguese public higher education institution located in the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, the Algarve, having its headquarters and two out of its three campuses in Faro and another campus in Portimão. It has around 10,000 students, 20 per cent of whom are international, from more than 90 nationalities, with Brazil being the most representative country of origin for those foreign students.

Higher education in Portugal is divided into two main subsystems: university and polytechnic education. It is provided in autonomous public and private universities, university institutes, polytechnic institutes and higher education institutions of other types.