The UERN was established in September 28, 1968, the Municipal Law No. 20/68. Was born with the name of Regional University of Rio Grande do Norte - URRN, linked to the University Foundation of Rio Grande do Norte - FURRN. In the history of their creation appear two other institutions showing that the idea of ​​a university in Mossoro has more ancient origins. The first is the Faculty of Economics of Mossoro, created in 1943 by the Company Caixeiral Union, which already had a technical school of trade, but starting to work, in fact, only in 1960. . The second is the FUNCITEC - Foundation for Development Science and Technology - was founded in 1963. With the FUNCITEC, sped up the offer of higher education in the city. Under his leadership, are created the School of Social Service of Natal, in 1965, and the Institute of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Natal, in the same year, with the courses of Pedagogy, Language, History and Social Sciences, and in 1968 the Mossoro of Nursing School.In 1968, the FUNCITEC is transformed into university, joining the four existing colleges. Its first president was Professor John the Baptist Krab Rodrigues, one of the leading militants of the cause of education in Mossoro, closely linked to the struggle for the creation of FUNCITEC and all the faculties for it maintained. The dean, as today, also accumulated the presidency of the Foundation sponsor.