Université Cheikh Anta Diop, formerly the University of Dakar was established on February 24, 1957.
It was officially inaugurated on December 9, 1959, after a long evolution marked by: the creation of an African School of Medicine , the first draft of higher education in Africa in 1918 (decree of January 14, 1918); the creation of the French Institute of Black Africa (IFAN) in 1936; the creation of a Certificate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB), preparatory to medical studies and by the opening in the early fifties of Higher Schools academically attached to the University of Bordeaux within the framework of what was called in 1950, Institute of Higher Studies of Dakar. On March 30, 1987, the University of Dakar officially changed its name to became Université Cheikh Anta Diop.