Kuvempu University is a public state university in Shankaraghattta, Bhadravathi taluk, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India. The Karnataka State University Act 1976, as amended by Act No. 28/1976 of the state assembly of Karnataka on January 29, 1989, created it in 1987. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in wide range of disciplines. It is a member of the Association of Indian Universities and was granted recognition by the UGC in 1994. (AIU).

The university has its headquarters at Jnana Sahyadri Campus, Shivamogga. Jnana Sahyadri, which translates as "The Western Ghat portion of wisdom," is the name of its campus. It has university jurisdiction over malnad districts of Shivamogga and Chikmagaluru, through which the Sahyadri mountain ranges pass. The campus sprawls across an area of 230 acres. The campus has an admixture of wild and domestic animals.

Established on 29 June 1987, Kuvempu University is the youngest of the affiliating universities in Karnataka State. It was named after the great Kannada writer, Kuvempu, Jnanpith laureate, doyen of Kannada literature. He was native of Shivamogga district and vice-chancellor of University of Mysore. Kuvempu hailed from the Malenadu region. He enunciated the statement 'Vishwamanawasandesha' — A word of advice on the doctrine of Universal Manhood. True to its form and nature the university had adopted Kannada as the administrative and official language. Kuvempu's son-in-law K. Chidananda Gowda was the vice-chancellor from 2001 to 2006. The current vice-chancellor is Dr. B. P. Veerabhadrappa.