[citation needed] The university is named after the Spanish-Peruvian politician Pablo de Olavide (1725–1803), who contributed notably to planning the city of Seville.

Being a relatively young university, UPO was planned as a North American-style campus with dedicated academic and residential space.

The university also boasts a student union building and offers transportation to the city center by bus or metro.

Since January 2011 Pablo de Olavide University, in conjunction with Brussels-based human rights NGO Protection International, has offered an online Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) on the Integral Protection for Human Rights Defenders and Social Activists in both English and Spanish.

[6] The UPO began admitting North American study abroad students in 2001, and founded the International Center in 2002.

Year 2010[citation needed] There are various programmes and international scholarships that offer the students of Pablo de Olavide University the possibility to travel abroad.