800 years of the world's oldest medical school

2020 marks the 800th anniversary of Montpellier's Faculty of Medicine. An anniversary that makes it the oldest medical school in the world.
Throughout its history, it has welcomed scholars and scientists from all eras and origins. Rabelais, Lapeyronie, Chaptal, Arnaud de Villeneuve and Gui de Chauliac have all left their mark on its history. Medical teaching in Montpellier was born out of practice, outside any institutional framework, in the early 12th century. It wasn't until 1170 that the first core of physicians-practitioners-teachers formed the embryo of the future Medical University. In 1181, an edict from Guilhem VIII proclaimed the freedom to teach medicine in Montpellier, and it was on August 17, 1220 that Cardinal Conrad d'Urach, apostolic legate of Pope Honorius III, granted/conferred (?) to the "universitas medicorum" its first statutes. On October 26, 1289, Pope Nicholas IV sent the apostolic constitution "Quia Sapientia" from Rome to all doctors and students in Montpellier.

Throughout its history, Montpellier's Faculty of Medicine has developed through the sharing of Arab, Jewish and Christian medical cultures, in a humanistic and scientific spirit that has been passed down through the centuries.

To celebrate this evocative year, numerous events have already punctuated the beginning of the year. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some events will be postponed until 2021.

• The full program can be found on the 800ans.fr website.

August 17, 1220 - August 17, 2020: a commemoration on the precise day of the founding of the Faculty of Medicine

On Monday August 17, 2020, representatives of state institutions, local authorities and partners of the University of Montpellier joined researchers, teacher-researchers and students in the heart of the historic Faculty of Medicine building to celebrate 800 years of the world's oldest university medical school still in operation.

As the high point of the festivities, Sophie Béjean, Rectrice de l'Académie de Montpellier, Chancellor of the Universities, Philippe Augé, President of the Université de Montpellier and Michel Mondain, Dean of the Faculté de Médecine Montpellier-Nîmes unveiled the commemorative plaque. The plaque features an inscription, written in French and Latin, on which professors, students and visitors can read:

" OnAugust 17, 1220, Cardinal Conrad d'Ubach,legate of Pope Honorius III in Languedoc, decreed thestatutes of the Universitas medicorum, tam doctorum quam discipulorum, Montispessulani, the oldest medical university in the world .

On view from August 18 to September 20, 2020: "Les grandes figures de la Médecine à Montpellier" exhibition

The day after the 800th anniversary celebration, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole and the City of Montpellier presented the exhibition "Les grandes figures de la Médecine à Montpellier". Presented outdoors on the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle in Montpellier, 18 panels retrace the history of medicine in Montpellier, from the edict of Guilhem VIII to the establishment of the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine on the new Arnaud de Villeneuve campus.

• More information on montpellier.fr