Saarland University was founded in 1948 as a bilingual university under the auspices of the French government.  The university has earned an international reputation for its research in computer science and informatics and for work in the life sciences and nanosciences. The university is distinguished by its close ties to France and its strong European focus. With its pronounced international focus and its strong ties to universities in Europe and around the world, Saarland University is more international than almost any other medium-sized German university. A distinctive feature of Saarland University is the broad range of cross-border academic programmes that lead to a double-degree qualification or even to a triple-degree qualification if a third foreign partner institution is involved.

Many of the university departments collaborate closely with one another in both teaching and research. Close cooperative ties also connect Saarland University's scientists and researchers with universities around the world as well as with the many external research institutes located on and around the Saarbrücken campus. All of the major German scientific organizations are represented on campus, including two institutes of the Max Planck Society, two institutes within the Leibniz Association, two Fraunhofer institutes of applied research, a Helmholtz research centre and a Helmholtz institute.