On March 20, 1950, Emperor Haile Silassie I declared the foundation of the University College of Addis Ababa, which includes the faculties of Arts and Science. It was renamed Haile Selassie I University in 1962 and then Addis Ababa University in 1975. At the time there were only 33 students enrolled compared to the current number of more than 400,000 students.

Starting from only one diploma and certificate granting department, namely Biology, the University today comprises more than 25 faculties.