The University was created as a Religious University by His Eminent Highness Archbishop Count Lorenz Michael De Valitch. Archbishop of the American Catholic Orthodox Church and Grand Master of the Federation of Autonomous Priories of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem – Knights of Malta, who become its first Magnificent Rector. The original name of the University was “Universitas Internationalis Studiorum Superiorum Pro Deo”.

On the 20th day of November 1974,  H.E.H. Archbishop De Valitch registered the  “Universitas Internationalis Studiorum Superiorum Pro Deo” , in accordance with the american legislation, at the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

On the 18th of April 1992, due to his serious health condition H.E.H. Archbishop Count Lorenz Michael De Valitch is relieved from his duties as Magnificent Rector of the University and replaced by the Patriarch of His Church and His successor as Regent of the Federation, H.E.H. and Beatitude Dom Lorenzo O.S.B..

On May 1st of 1998 H.E.H. and Beatitude Dom Lorenzo O.S.B., registers officially the change of the name from “ Universitas Internationalis Studiorum Superiorum Pro Deo” to “PATRIARCHAL STUDIUM GENERALE UNIVERSITAS PRO-DEO”.

On the 11th of November of 1999, H.E.H. And Beatitude Dom Lorenzo O.S.B., both as Head of the American Catholic Orthodox Church, Jurisdiction of New York, and as Regent of State of the Federation of Autonomous Priories of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem – Knights of Malta, in a public Ceremony that took place in Bologna, Italy, transfers the jurisdiction of the “PATRIARCHAL STUDIUM GENERALE UNIVERSITAS PRO-DEO” from His Church to the State of the Federation of Autonomous Priories of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem – Knights of Malta, placing it under its Ministry of Education, but keeping its statute as a Religious University, due to the religious past of the Sovereign Order.

Due to this transfer, the Pro Deo University changed into a Ecumenical State University of the Federation and received all the attributes to become an independent and international State University.

After the decease of H.E.H. and Beatitude Patriarch Dom Lorenzo O.S.B., on the 14th of November 2005, the Grand Council of The Federation elected His successor as Head of the State and Grand Master of the Federation, Prince Jose, who, as the new Magnificent Rector of the University, decided to change its name to “ PRO DEO STATE UNIVERSITY “ in order to adapt it better to the modern reality and objectives of the State and started conducting a profund reorganization of the University and its courses, in accordance with the modern international requirements and standards of quality and efficiency, namely with the Bologna Agreement.

The Federation, respecting the necessary academic autonomy of the institution and paying due respect to the past of the actual University, has started in 2007 a total reorganisation of the old University, including the change of its designation to “Pro Deo State University” and maintaining it as an institution of the State.

The University is an academic community that follows the ancient vocation of the Sovereign Order and the modern principles stipulated by the United States of America, by the European Union, by the recent Bologna Process, respecting at the same time the legislation in force in the countries where it’s branches are established.

The University has the aim of contributing to the global Development by the means of a high quality education and professional oriented training at  international scale and level.

Presently the Pro Deo State University is preparing the opening  in a very near future a Campus in Florida- USA dedicated to Physical Sciences, Security and Alternative Medicine, another Campus in Hungary for international professional courses and a School for Arts and Handcrafts in Angola and is also establishing agreements of cooperation with several renown Universities in different countries.

The Pro Deo State University has recently finished a course of Municipal Management that took place in the Police Academy in Budapest, Hungary, and is running and preparing other courses in several areas from Diplomacy and International Relations, Management, Emergency Medicine, Development, Security to Music and Arts, among others.