The great majority of the teaching is organised within the two campuses, although classes also take place in locations spread around the city centre, as well as in Ronda and Antequera.

The University of Málaga was founded by decree of 18 August 1972 by grouping existing centers in the late 1960s: the Higher Polytechnic School (Spanish: Escuela Universitaria Politécnica) (1927), the Normal School (1846), the Faculty of Economics of the University of Granada in Málaga (1963) and the Seminar (1587).

In the last few years, the number of agreements and contracts with businesses and organisations has varied between 350 and 400 and an average of over 50 patents have been registered—30 of them of an international nature.

Located in the centre of Malaga, the campus at El Ejido houses the Faculties of Economic Science, Architecture and Fine Arts.

The Government Building, which accommodates the various offices of deputy vice-chancellorships, is situated on this site, along with most of the administrative departments and the Secretariat of the Board.

The soon to be constructed Health Sciences and Psychology Faculty, will be an addition to the recently opened Engineering and the Social and Business Studies Complex.

Other more important building projects in collaboration with the Ministerio de la Vivienda y la Consejería de Vivienda y Ordenación del Territorio ( Ministry for Housing and the Department for Housing and Town Planning), will include student halls of residence and rented accommodation, together with a Science and Business Park, destined for use by research groups and companies.

The function of the Science and Business Park, is to form a strategic alliance for the creation of an academic, scientific, entrepreneurial and innovative environment, which will operate within the framework of the Estrategia Universidad 2015 (University Strategy 2015).