[3] In 2013, UNESCO declared the university a World Heritage Site, noting its architecture, unique culture and traditions, and historical role.

[3] The contemporary university is organized into eight faculties, granting bachelor's (licenciado), master's (mestre) and doctorate (doutor) degrees in nearly all major fields.

[8] The university was founded, or ratified, in 1290 by King Dinis, having begun its existence in Lisbon with the name Studium Generale (Estudo Geral).

In 1308, likely due to problems of emancipation from the Church (relations between the latter and the political power being somewhat strained at the time) and conflicts between the inhabitants of the city and the students, the university moved to Coimbra.

In 1537, during the reign of João III (1521–57), the university moved definitively to Coimbra, where it was installed in the Alcaçova Palace which was subsequently purchased from the royal family in 1597.

Most of the new faculty, previously affiliated to the Spanish University of Salamanca, was initially not tenured at Coimbra and, subsequently, professors did not generally relocate.

Faculties, hitherto scattered in different buildings, were brought together in the "Palacio del Rey", while other new and prestigious Spanish professors were also invited.

Classical languages and literatures were taught by professors such as Cipriano Suárez, the author of a famous treatise on rhetoric (De arte rhetorica libri tres, ex Aristotele, Cicerone et Quintiliano praecipue deprompti), at the Colegio de la Artes, which young students learnt as a preparation for further academic studies; this college, independent at first, was eventually merged with the college of Theology, and entrusted to the Jesuits.

In 1770 (23 December), King José I, following the ambitious Marquis de Pombal's initiative, appointed a commission in charge of reorganizing the university.

[1] In the 18th century, the Marquis of Pombal, Minister of the kingdom, made radical reforms in the university, especially regarding the teaching of sciences, in accordance to his Enlightenment and anticlerical creed.

The long history and past predominance of the University of Coimbra made it an important focus of influence in Portugal, not only educational, but also political and social.

In Portugal, the University of Coimbra decided to defer the adoption of the new Bologna Process model from 2006 to 2007/2008 (with exceptions authorized for a few programs on which a national consensus for change had been reached among institutions) in order to make the transition maintaining the highest standards of quality and academic integrity.

Both the National Legal Medicine Institute, an organization under direct supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of the Justice, which provides forensic science services to the police forces and government agencies of Portugal, and the University of Coimbra's teaching hospital, HUC (Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra), a university hospital known as a centre of research with a broad range of clinical services and medical specialties, are managed by the Faculty of Medicine (FMUC).

[11] The university harbours a huge central library (University of Coimbra General Library), botanical gardens (Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra), stadiums and other sports facilities (Estádio Universitário de Coimbra sports complex and Campo de Santa Cruz stadium), an astronomical observatory, a publishing house, a private chapel (São Miguel Chapel), a theatre (Teatro Académico de Gil Vicente), and many support facilities such as dining halls and studying rooms.

The AAC develops activities such as theatre, cinema, radio and television broadcast, music, choral singing, journalism or philately, as well as rowing, athletics and many other sports.

The Praxe (Praxis) is a body of ritual and custom founded upon ancient traditions and it is a controversial part of Coimbra's academic life to which no university student is indifferent.

Even inside the AAC, Coimbra's student organisation, there are anti-Praxe groups and people who advocate for more thorough reforms in traditional rituals.

The Freshman (1st yr.) period (the lowest category in the Praxe hierarchy) is, for many students, a time of good and lasting memories of never to be repeated events.

Most student costs are supported with public money and it is no longer found acceptable that some individuals burden finances to extend their stays without graduating.

[14] "The Freshman's Reception" (Recepção ao Caloiro, the Portuguese name for university homecoming) goes back to the 19th century when the law students of the University of Coimbra felt the need to express their joy at finishing the school year in as loud a way as possible, using everything at their disposal that would make noise, namely tin cans, which is the original root of "The Tin Can Parade".

[14] In Coimbra, where the oldest Portuguese university was founded in the Middle Ages, the Recepção ao Caloiro (The Freshman's Reception) week, includes the Festa das Latas (The Tin Can Festival).

It is an important part of the praxe académica (student praxis) in Coimbra, followed by the city population as an ancient cultural manifestation and local tradition, and has become a tourist attraction for a number of visitors every year.

The homecoming includes the "Tin Can Festival" week, with concerts and several other cultural events and sports activities beyond the parade, which always happens on a Tuesday.

Celebrating the end of graduation courses, symbolized by the ritual burning of the ribbons representing each faculty, it takes place at the second semester (first weekend of May), being among the biggest student festivities in Europe.

Unresponsive to the simplest of questions, the professor already impatient, turned to the bailiff and asked "Bring in a stack of hay" to which the student very quickly added "And I'll have a glass of water please."

It is said that a student dared a policeman to get his shoes and feet wet chasing after a cigarette lighter, thrown in the duck pond, while he had the license for it in his pocket.

In the escalator of the Mathematics Department it is common to see them buying season tickets to take the ride all year round, and at least once, as urban myth has it, a poster announcing "Flight Insurance For This Elevator, At Sale in The Lobby", was inquired about by the newcomers.

Notable startup companies born from the University of Coimbra include ISA, Critical Software, Crioestaminal, Ciberbit and Feedzai.

To programmes such as medicine, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, and architecture, admission is an extraordinarily difficult process, and demand a minimum grade point average from high school plus the entrance exams, that usually ranges from 170 to 200 (out of 200).

Many Portuguese historical figures and renowned personalities noted for their activity in fields ranging from politics to culture to the sciences, attended the University of Coimbra as students or lecturers.