Founded on August 11th of 1946, the then called University of Recife (UR) included the Law School of Recife, the Engineering School of Pernambuco State, the School of Medicine of Recife – together with the annexed schools of Odontology and Pharmaceutics – the School of Fine Arts of Pernambuco and the School of Philosophy of Recife. 

After 19 years, the UR was integrated to the group of federal institutions that made up the new education system of the country, receiving the denomination of Federal University of Pernambuco. The construction of the new university campus began in 1948, with an architectonical project developed by the venetian architect Mario Russo.