For more than 8 centuries, the University of Montpellier has been shaping the future!

[Article] - Published on September 14, 2019 in Faculties, Schools, and Institutes, Student Life

As a multidisciplinary, research-intensive university, the University of Montpellier brings together a vast community of knowledge.

With more than 52,000 students spread across 17 faculties, schools, and institutes —plus its constituent institution, the ENSCM—the University of Montpellier offers a multidisciplinary range of programs: agriculture and food, law, political science, and public administration, economics and management, education, technology, engineering, health, and the sciences…
Working in close partnership with stakeholders in the socio-economic sector, the university provides lifelong learning opportunities and enables each student to freely shape their career path. In a world where the fields of application for knowledge are constantly evolving, studying atUM offers everyone the opportunity to train for the jobs of tomorrow and enter the workforce.

In the field of research—from space exploration to robotics, ecology, and chronic or infectious diseases—the scientific community at the University of Montpellier is developing solutions for the future, serving humanity and the environment. This cutting-edge research is something the university is committed to promoting by forging close ties with industries based in the region, particularly in the biomedical and new technologies sectors. It is dynamic research, conducted in close collaboration with research organizations and supported by state-of-the-art technological platforms, to meet the needs of 21st-century society. High-performing research in France and internationally, whereUM among the world’s best universities: in the top 200 of the Shanghai General Ranking, with a second-place global ranking in the field of ecology. It is also the top French university in Reuters’ rankingof the most innovative universities.

A major success for the entire scientific community in Montpellier, the University of Montpellier’s I-Site program of excellence serves as a powerful catalyst for the future of the entire campus and for its visibility on the national and international stage in the fields of health, the environment, and agronomy. Behind these themes lie three vital issues for the coming century, aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change; three challenges that lie at the heart of our university: feeding, healing, and protecting. To address these challenges, thousands of researchers have come together in the largest research project ever undertaken on campus.
And to take this even further and ensure thatUM its partners are firmly anchored in a shared strategy, on January 1, 2022, the University became an Experimental Public Institution (EPE) with new bylaws that allow project partners—including, notably, ENSCM, which is now a constituent institution—to be integrated into the University’s governance.

The University of Montpellier also boasts an exceptional real estate portfolio. Located in the heart of this Mediterranean metropolis, with more than 500,000 m², its various sites are all situated along the tram line and form a true network of campuses. This real estate portfolio is also a prestigious legacy. Indeed, the Faculty of Medicine, founded in 1220, was one of the first to be established in the Western world, making it one of the oldest faculties still in operation today. Its Botanical Garden, a true gem for nature lovers and botany enthusiasts, is just one example among many. And whileUM fully integrated into the city of Montpellier, it also maintains a presence in various cities throughout the region. It thus contributes to a comprehensive regional network in Occitanie, with a presence in Béziers, Carcassonne, Mende, Nîmes, Sète, and Perpignan. At each of its sites, it maintains close relationships with the various stakeholders in higher education and research in the region.

Above all, the University of Montpellier is a community of women and men comprising more than 5,000 staff members (faculty, researchers, and administrative staff) who work daily to ensure the successful fulfillment of its higher education and research missions with a strong sense of social responsibility. Determined to preserve its expertise—combining high-quality teaching with innovative and independent research—the University of Montpellier has, for example, committed to a policy of high-quality recruitment by publishing its OTM-R charter in support of transparent hiring and, as early as 2015, obtained the European “HR Excellence in Research” certification. Because the University has a duty to act responsibly toward society and the environment, it is also actively committed to combating gender inequality, discrimination based on disability, racism, antisemitism, and LGBT+ phobia. It also implements a proactive policy regarding quality of life at work, social, artistic, and cultural initiatives, and sustainable development—notably through a major investment program in the energy-efficient renovation of its real estate portfolio. Its efforts have been recognized by a significant rise in the 2024 edition of the Times Higher Education international rankings, whereUM first among French institutions. Impact Rankings, which rank universities based on their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Finally, in a society that is changing and becoming increasingly globalized, the University of Montpellier has forged a unique identity for itself, closely tied to major societal issues. Deeply committed to being a universalist, humanist university open to the world—closely connected to the life of the city and engaged with the major challenges of our time—it can now rely on all the women and men who contribute every day to making it a center of excellence.

Keywords: Campus, Students, Training, High school students, University