The University of Salento (Italian: Università del Salento, called until 2007 Università degli Studi di Lecce) is a university located in Lecce, Italy. It was founded in 1955 and is organized in 6 Faculties. The University of Salento commenced activities in the academic year 1955-56 under the “Salentine University Council”. In 1960 it became the “Free University of Lecce” and passed to Government authority in the 1967/68 academic year.