In recent years, it has increasingly begun focusing on health, natural science, and entrepreneurship research.

[6] The university dates to the founding of the Roman Catholic Assumption College in Windsor, Ontario, in 1857.

In 1956, the institution's name was changed to Assumption University of Windsor, by an Act of the Ontario Legislature, with Reverend Eugene Carlisle LeBel, C.S.B.

The recently created Essex College, an independent non-denominational college led by Frank A. DeMarco, became an affiliate, with responsibility for the Faculty of Applied Science; the Schools of Business Administration and Nursing; and the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Geography, and Mathematics and Physics.

As a 'federated member', Assumption University remained as an integrated institution, granting degrees only in its Faculty of Theology.

[12] Father Eugene Carlisle LeBel from Assumption became the inaugural president of the University of Windsor, and Frank A. DeMarco, who had been holding both positions of Principal, as well as Dean of Applied Science at Essex College, became the inaugural Vice President.

The increase was driven primarily by first-year students due to the elimination of Grade 13 in Ontario that year.

Due to its historical roots in multiple religious institutions, the university's campus has many examples of Christian architecture in addition to its modern flagship buildings like the $10-million dollar Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre.

The EPICentre (Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation Centre) is a University of Windsor organization focused on providing students and alumni with the expertise and resources necessary to pursue entrepreneurial goals.

The EPICentre is part of the Ontario Centres of Excellence and provides education, mentorship, office space and varying levels of funding to help support startup business.

[26] WEtech Alliance is a similar organization, also being an Ontario Centre of Excellence, whose main focus is to support technology startup companies.

They provide services to technology startups in the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent regions, not exclusively to students and alumni from the University of Windsor.

Also within the CAW Centre: Student Health Services, a dental office, counselling services, a photographer, a pharmacy, the University of Windsor Students' Alliance (UWSA), a Multi-Faith Space, the campus community radio station CJAM-FM, and an information desk.

A large public area beside the food court is available for clubs and informational booths to be set up on certain days.

For example, during October there is a period where many Canadian law schools set up booths with representatives who answer questions and provide information to undergraduate students.

The St. Denis Centre, at the south end of campus on College Avenue, is the major athletic and recreational facility for students.

Unlike the current St. Denis Centre, there will be many separate sections of the facility to host different athletic resources; such as a new gymnasium, pool, fitness gym and many multi-purpose rooms, as opposed to a single general-purpose space.

Alumni Hall has all-gender floors and it is a suite-style residence where suites have two bedrooms that share a kitchenette and a three-piece bathroom.

The University is expanding its residence offerings with a new 160,000-square-foot, six-storey building that will house 440 single rooms, with two students sharing each washroom.

[36] As is common in Canada, Windsor is formally headed by the chancellor and led on a day-to-day basis by the president and vice-chancellor.

Since May 2019 this has been Mary Jo Haddad, a Windsor nursing alumnus and the first woman to take this role, who succeeded Ed Lumley.

The Government of Ontario provided 29% of the university's operating revenue, while tuition fees accounted for the bulk of the remainder at 69%.

[35] A 2023 blue-ribbon panel of experts reviewed the financial sustainability of Ontario's universities and colleges and found that Ontario funds universities at just 57% of the national average, due to the government's policies that reduced direct funding to institutions and cut tuition fees for domestic students.

[50] As of 2016, the University of Windsor offers an interdisciplinary PhD in Argumentation Studies, the only graduate program in North America with a focus on this field.

[54] University of Windsor also provides Inter-Faculty Programs offering cross-departmental majors like Forensics, Environmental studies and Arts & Science concentration.

The university joined Project Hero, a scholarship program cofounded by General (Ret'd) Rick Hillier, for the families of fallen Canadian Forces members.

It was established in 1995 to honour Rosa Schreiber, an Austrian freedom fighter who risked her life to help others during World War II.

[citation needed] The university has a unique agreement with the Ambassador Duty-Free Store at Canada's busiest border crossing which provides student jobs, 400 parking spaces, and an annual cash annuity to the school.

It provides many different kinds of recreational services for students including free access to the Fitness Center to workout, opened every day.

Students can also enjoy their access to the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse and state of the art additions including Lancer Commons, Pool, Triple Gymnasium and Multipurpose Rooms.