The University of Essex is a public research university in Essex, England. Established by royal charter in 1965, it is one of the original plate glass universities. The university shield consists of the ancient arms attributed to the Kingdom of Essex, and the motto, "Thought the harder, heart the keener", is adapted from the Anglo-Saxon poem The Battle of Maldon. It comprises three campuses in the county, in Southend-on-Sea and Loughton with its primary campus in Wivenhoe Park.

Essex is rated Gold for Teaching Excellence by the TEF since 2017, named University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards in 2018, and is ranked an internationally excellent research-intensive university by the REF. Essex's Department of Government received Regius Professorship conferred by Her Majesty, The Queen in 2013 and the university was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize on two occasions for advancing Human Rights in 2009 and Social and Economic Research in 2017. The annual income of the institution for 2021–22 was £272.6 million of which £30.2 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £313.8 million.

Essex has produced many distinguished alumni in several fields across the world least but not limited to: Nobel Prize laureates, a head of state, senior governors and politicians, executives and economists, scientists, artists, academics, authors, and film directors.