Saarland University, the first to be established after the Second World War, was founded in November 1948 with the support of the French Government and under the auspices of the University of Nancy.

At the time the Saarland found itself in the special situation of being partly autonomous and linked to France by economic and monetary union. With its combination of the German and French educational traditions and the dual languages of instruction, the University had a European perspective right from the start. Prior to the foundation of the University, clinical training courses for medical students at the state hospital in Homburg/Saar had been introduced in January 1946 and the "Centre Universitaire d'Etudes Superieures de Hombourg" established on 8 May 1947 under the patronage of the University of Nancy.