University of Lucknow, Lucknow came into being in 1920, carries forward the legacy of prestigious Canning College, which was itself founded in 1867 by Raja Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee.

The King George's Medical College and Isabella Thoburn College were other influences behind establishment of the university. It is a public university, recognized by UGC.

It was set up as a result of the far-reaching recommendations of the Sadler Commission which had been set up in 1917 to just investigate the "“conditions and prospects of the University of Calcutta".  

The idea of starting a University at Lucknow was first mooted by Raja Sir Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, Khan Bahadur, K.C.I.E. of Mahmudabad, who contributed an article to the columns of "The Pioneer'' urging the foundation of a University at Lucknow. A little later Sir Harcourt Butler, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E, was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces, and his well-known interest in all matters under his jurisdiction, specially in matters educational, gave fresh life and vigour to the proposal. The first step to bring the University into being was taken when a General Committee of educationists and persons interested in university education appointed for the purpose, met in conference at Government House, Lucknow, on November, 10, 1919. At this meeting Sir Harcourt Butler, who was in the chair, outlined the proposed scheme for the new university.

A discussion followed, and it was resolved that University of Lucknow  should be a Unitary, Teaching, and Residential University of the kind recommended by the Calcutta University Mission, 1919, and should consist of Faculties of Arts, including Oriental Studies, Science, Medicine, Law, etc. A number of other resolutions was also passed and six sub-committees were formed, five of them to consider questions connected with the University and one to consider the arrangements for providing Intermediate Education. These sub-committees met during the months of November and December, 1919, and January, 1920; and the reports of their meetings were laid before a second Conference of the General Committee at Lucknow on January 26, 1920; their proceedings were considered and discussed, and the reports of five of the sub-committees were, subject to certain amendments, confirmed. The question of incorporation of the Medical College in the University, however, was for the time being left open for expression of opinion. At the close of the Conference donations of one lakh each from the Raja of Mahmudabad and Jahangirabad were announced.

VISION

To develop human resource for furtherance of knowledge through teaching, research and innovation and ranked amongst the top educational institutions of the world for the better service to the humanity in general and our nation in particular.

MISSION

The mission of the University is, to be a University driven by values enriched with diverse cultures, to promote economic, social and spiritual advancement for an egalitarian society.