The University of York, founded in 1963, is one of the UK's leading research-intensive universities and a member of the prestigious Russell Group. Located in north-east England, York is ranked 146th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 and is a top-6% institution globally. The University holds Gold for Teaching Excellence (TEF 2023) and consistently ranks in the UK top 10 for research quality (REF 2021). It is one of only four UK universities rated both Gold for teaching and top-ten for research in recent national assessments. York is known for strengths in Social Sciences, English, History, Computer Science and the Sciences.

The University of York Europe Campus operates as CITY U.L.E., a non-state, non-profit University Legal Entity licensed by the Greek Ministry of Education in 2025 under Law 5094/2024. Bachelor's programmes commenced in October 2025 at the main Thessaloniki campus, with Master's and PhD programmes scheduled to begin in 2026. The institution traces its roots to CITY College, founded in Thessaloniki in 1989, which has partnered with the University of York since 2020 (formerly with the University of Sheffield from 1992 to 2020). The Thessaloniki main site operates from two centrally located buildings on Leontos Sofou and Proxenou Koromila streets in the city centre, plus a 14,000-square-metre comprehensive campus at Oraiokastro. A second site dedicated to Computer Science will open in Athens from 2026. Students from York Europe Campus receive a University of York degree, identical in academic and professional standing to UK-awarded York degrees, with equivalent recognition by Greek public university regulations.