Goa University is a public state university headquartered in Panaji, in the Indian state of Goa. It serves as the principal affiliating and research university of the state, offering graduate, post-graduate and research programmes across a range of disciplines.
The academic traditions associated with the university trace back to the 17th century, when the first university-level courses were introduced in Goa under the Portuguese Empire. After the annexation of Goa, the process was consolidated when the University of Mumbai established a Centre for Post-Graduate Instruction and Research (CPIR) in Panaji. The CPIR extended affiliation to the first colleges instituted in Goa in June 1962.
Goa University itself was established under the Goa University Act of 1984 (Act No. 7 of 1984) and commenced operations on 1 June 1985, replacing the CPIR. It has since developed into the apex institution for higher education in the state.
The university is accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with an A Grade for the cycle 2014–19. It is among the few universities in India to offer western languages such as Portuguese and French as part of its programme offerings. Its Department of Portuguese and Lusophone Studies is noted as the only such department in the Indian subcontinent, reflecting Goa's distinctive cultural and historical links with the Lusophone world.