University of Bordeaux


The University of Bordeaux was founded in 1441 in France. The University of Bordeaux is part of the Community of universities and higher education institutions of Aquitaine.

History

A first university during Roman Antiquity

In 286, a university had been created by the Romans. At this time, the city was an important administrative centre and the school had to train administrators. Only rhetoric and grammar were taught. Ausonius and Sulpicius Severus were the two most famous teachers.

The modern university

The original Université de Bordeaux was established by the papal bull of Pope Eugene IV on 7 June 1441 when Bordeaux was an English town. The initiative for the creation of the university is attributed to Archbishop Pey Berland. It was originally composed of four faculties: arts, medicine, law, and theology. The law faculty later split into faculties of civil law and canon law. A professorship in mathematics was founded in 1591 by Bishop François de Foix, son of Gaston de Foix, Earl of Kendal.
In 1793, during the French Revolution, the National Convention abolished the university, and replaced it with the École centrale in 1796. In Bordeaux, this one was located in the former buildings of the College of Guyenne. Due to the lack of moral and religious teaching, and the revolutionary inclination of the École centrale, Napoleon reestablished the university in 1808.
On 10 July 1796 the Third Republic re-founded the university.
In 1970 the university was split into three universities: Bordeaux 1, Bordeaux 2, and Bordeaux 3. In 1995, Bordeaux 4 split off from Bordeaux 1.
In 2007 the universities were grouped together as Communauté d'universités et établissements d'Aquitaine.
From 1 January 2014, the university of Bordeaux were reunited, except for Bordeaux 3 which chose not to take part to the merger.

Notable alumni

Academia