University of Rennes

Overview

University of Rennes 1 is one of the two universities making up the Academy of Rennes, and as such is one of the main universities in the city of Rennes in France. As a public university, it serves thousands of local and international students. It provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs, most of which are taught in French, but select master’s degrees taught in English are also offered.

Officially opened in 1970, the history of the University of Rennes 1 goes way back to 1460 when the Pope established the first university of Brittany in the city of Nantes, in line with the request of Francis II, Duke of Brittany. This university taught theology, arts, law, and medicine. In 1728, the university moved to Rennes. However, universities were closed during the French Revolution (1793 to 1806). In 1808, Napoleon I reorganized French universities and created the University of France and by 1896, the University of Rennes was created to represent the faculties of science, law, and letters. Almost a century later, the University of Rennes was split into two entities: University of Rennes 1 and University of Rennes 2 - Upper Brittany.

Today, the multidisciplinary university is composed of 10 faculties, two engineering schools, two management schools, four technology institutes, and one scientific observatory. Moreover, it has three main campuses. One is the Beaulieu campus, located in the north-east part of the city, which is a large complex that has been in development since 1969. It is home to over 12 science buildings that serve the faculties of mathematics, biology, physics, and other schools. The university’s sports facilities are also on this campus.

Meanwhile, the Villejean campus is in Rennes’ northwest area and serves as home to the faculties of arts, foreign languages, human sciences, and medicine. On the other hand, the central campus has two buildings for the Faculty of Economical Science and the Faculty of Law and Political Science.

The University of Rennes 1 also has a presence in Saint-Brieuc, Dinard, Fougères, Saint-Malo, and Lannion. The university owns a museum in Penmarch and runs research centers in Paimpont, Monterfil, and Bailleron, as well. As for the focus of their research, it often centers around material sciences, humanities and social sciences, life and health sciences, and mathematics and ICT.

According to the latest data, the university has around 29,000 students, over 3,000 of which are international students. The University of Rennes 1 sends at least 1,000 students to study or undertake internships abroad at partner institutions.