The University of Montpellier is inaugurating the renovated buildings on the Faculty of Pharmacy campus

[Press Release] - Published on July 11, 2025 in Press Room, Faculties, Schools, and Institutes

On Friday, July 11, the University of Montpellier inaugurated three renovated buildings (A, B, and I) on the Pharmacy Faculty campus. This landmark initiative was carried out as part of the Montpellier Campus Project. This transformative project, with a total budget of 30.8 million euros, marks a major milestone in the transformation of the Pharmacy campus, combining energy transition, space modernization, and academic ambition.

The inauguration took place in the presence of Pierre-André Durand, Prefect of the Occitanie region, Prefect of Haute-Garonne, Carole Drucker-Godard, Rector of the Occitanie Academic Region, Rector of the Montpellier Academy, and Chancellor of the Universities, Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, Vincent Lisowski, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Montpellier, and Jérémy Tourret, Architect at Tourret Architectes.

“It is with great pride that we are inaugurating the renovated buildings on the Faculty of Pharmacy campus today. This renovation is not merely a modernization of our infrastructure; it embodies our commitment to building a university capable of meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow. By combining academic excellence, energy efficiency, and quality of life on campus, we are affirming a strong ambition: that of a sustainable, innovative, and inclusive university. “This project is emblematic of our commitment to the Montpellier Campus Initiative. It demonstrates how essential it is to invest in our teaching and research facilities to provide the entire university community with working conditions that are modern, functional, and environmentally friendly,” said Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier.

“The inauguration of Buildings A, B, and I at the University of Montpellier’s School of Pharmacy underscores the government’s strong and lasting commitment to higher education, research, and innovation in Occitanie. This €30.8 million project—€22.5 million of which is funded by the Montpellier Campus Initiative and €8.3 million by the Recovery Plan—demonstrates our commitment to providing universities with resources commensurate with their ambitions. The goal is not only to modernize infrastructure but also to meet the demands of the energy transition and create environments conducive to the entire academic community. The State reaffirms its conviction: there is no future without strong universities, without free and ambitious research, and without open, modern, and sustainable centers of learning. Montpellier, with its recognized academic excellence, plays a full role in France’s scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical influence. This project is part of the path we are collectively charting to make Occitanie a leading region in higher education, innovation, and sustainable development. Through this inauguration, we are championing a shared vision: that of a public higher education system that is more attractive, more responsible, and more focused on the challenges of tomorrow,” saidPierre-André Durand, Prefect of the Occitanie Region and Prefect of Haute-Garonne.

“By modernizing our spaces for study, research, and university life, we are affirming the importance of providing our students and staff with high-quality environments that meet today’s educational and scientific demands. This project embodies a shared ambition: to make our campuses open, sustainable spaces that live up to the commitments of the university community. It also reflects confidence in the future and in the university’s ability to uphold the values of knowledge, innovation, and commitment,” Carole Drucker-Godard, Rector of the Occitanie Academic Region, Rector of the Montpellier Academy, and Chancellor of the Universities.

A Strategic Renovation for a Campus Undergoing Transformation

The project is part of a broader initiative to renovate the Faculty of Pharmacy campus, which the University of Montpellier has been undertaking for several years. It has two main objectives: first, to meet current energy efficiency standards and regulatory requirements; and second, to adapt the infrastructure to the evolving needs of education, research, and student services.

Buildings A, B, and I are at the heart of this new phase. Building A houses the administration of the Pharmacy Department, while Building B is home to the site’s four large lecture halls. Building I, meanwhile, is dedicated to practical and theoretical instruction as well as university research. It is home to several renowned research centers, including:

• The IMGT (International ImMunoGeneTics information system) unit at the IGF (Institute of Functional Genomics)
• The "Botany, Phytochemistry, and Mycology" team at the CEFE (Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology),
• Members of the “Biostatistics, Computer Science, and Pharmaceutical Physics” team at the IGF Institute of Functional Genomics,
• Members of the “Health Law and Economics” team at the Dynamiques du droit research group.

This project is receiving significant financial support. The government is contributing through the Montpellier Campus Initiative, with a total budget of 22.5 million euros. This funding covers the work on Building I (of which 10 million euros have already been spent), Building E (currently underway), and the central gallery (scheduled to begin soon). The Recovery Plan supplements this funding with 8.3 million euros, earmarked for the energy-efficient renovation of Buildings A, B, and I, the repair of heating systems, and the modernization of the boiler room, with a view to connecting it to the Métropole’s Réseau de Chaleur Nord Alco (RCNA). Finally, the University of Montpellier is also contributing 200,000 euros toward the installation of modular buildings to ensure the continuity of instruction during the construction work.

Tangible results for a more modern, greener, and more functional campus

The renovation of these buildings has made it possible to achieve several key objectives:

• Significantly improved energy efficiency, thanks to the insulation of the facades, the replacement of windows and doors, the optimization of ventilation, and the installation of more efficient heating systems,
• Technical and regulatory compliance, including accessibility for people with disabilities and the security of facilities,
• Preparing for the energy transition, including the renovation of the site’s boiler room and its adaptation for future connection to the Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole district heating network (RCNA),
• A reorganization of educational and scientific spaces to promote optimal conditions for study and research,
• Ensuring that pharmacy training programs can continue uninterrupted through the temporary installation of modular buildings for the duration of the construction project.

This inauguration marks the success of an ambitious collaborative project, carried out with meticulous care, in the service of academic excellence and sustainable development. It is also part of the ongoing comprehensive redevelopment of the Pharmacy campus, which will continue in the coming years with the renovation of Building D and the central gallery, scheduled to begin in 2027.