The University of Calabria (Università della Calabria, UNICAL) is a public university in the Calabria region of southern Italy, with about 35,000 students. It is located in the province of Cosenza, near the town of Rende. It was founded in 1972. The university has about 35,000 students, 800 teachers and researchers.

The campus is located in Arcavacate, 10 km from Cosenza and 4 km from the center of Rende. The campus buildings are located along a suspension bridge, which is 1.3 kilometers long. Students live in residential neighborhoods next to the university. The campus is divided into ten residences: Chiodo 1, Chiodo 2, Maisonette, Martenson A, Martenson B, Molichele, Monaci, Nervoso, San Gennaro, Socrates, and De Lieto. The Calabria Natural History Museum and botanical garden are located on campus

The Calabria region, located in southwestern Italy, is the toe of the boot-shaped region like the Apennine Peninsula. This sultry region is home to many mountain ranges, ancient villages, and a large number of beaches along its winding coastline. Calabria is washed by the Ionian Sea to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. Calabria is characterized by varied landscapes, as here the mountains meet the sea.