The university was named after the Nigerian educational administrator and human rights activist Tai Solarin. It is the 76th approved university in Nigeria. The Tai Solarin University of Education, was proclaimed a full-fledged university, on 29 January 2005 by the administration of His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. TASUED was officially approved as a university by the National Universities Commission on Tuesday 28 November 2005. It is a citadel of learning dedicated to the production of competent professional educators and teachers who have immense knowledge of their chosen subjects/disciplines of study and the requisite pedagogical skills of subject delivery. The University is unique in that, from inception, it incorporated a four-year mandatory vocational and entrepreneurial study into the curriculum of its B.Ed, B.Sc and B.A programmes such that students are awarded two certificates at graduation; one in their chosen course of study and the other a proficiency certificate in the vocational and entrepreneurial study. Furthermore, a sequel to the NUC Resource Assessment exercise in April 2019, the Commission in addition to the existing programmes granted the university the approval to establish some postgraduate programmes and the full-time mode of some undergraduate programmes. In all, 59 programmes were newly approved: 33 PhD programmes, 13 M.A, M.Sc, M.A and M.Sc programmes and 13 B.A and B.Sc programmes.
Vice Chancellors
Professor Olukayode Oyesiku was its first Vice-Chancellor. He was succeeded by Professor Segun Awonusi. In January 2013, Professor Oluyemisi Oluremi Obilade became the 3rd Vice-Chancellor of the university. The current Vice-Chancellor is Professor Abayomi Adelaja Arigbabu. He assumed office on 19 March 2018, as the 4th Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
Colleges
The university has five colleges for its undergraduate programmes and a postgraduate college.
The university has halls and auditoriums such as the Otunba Gbenga Daniel Auditorium, university block, Alex O. Onabanjo Complex, CEPEP building, the Science Complex, and the Lecture Theatre. It also has halls of residence for students. Students also reside in hostels built by the residents of the local communities such as Ijagun, Ijele, Imaweje, and Ijebu Ode. Mosun Filani and Oluwatobi Oyinlola are notable alumni of the university.
Occupy TASUED
A new government came to power in Ogun State in 2011 led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun and attempted to scrap TASUED. Students of the institution rose up against the decision and formed the #OccupyTASUED campaign. On February 14, 2012, on one of their trips to the state house in Oke-Mosan Abeokuta, the bus conveying TASUED supporters got its tyre punctured and rolled over twice. The accident inflicted injuries on many and eventually caused the death of Olatunji Fashina aka Humble TeeJay. Layemi, Azeez Agboola, Ishola Adebayo Crown, Owoblow, Tola Ben, and few others were also on the bus that was involved in the accident. Today, Tunji Fashina is being honoured as a hero of the successful struggle ’cause he paid the huge price with his life. The Students Union Govt building got named after him.
