French university associations known as "pôles de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur" (PRES; English: centers for research and higher education) were a form of higher-level organization for universities and other institutions established by French law in effect from 2007 to 2013. The 2013 Law on Higher Education and Research (France) discontinued the PRES; these have been largely replaced by the new Communities of Universities and Institutions (French translation abbreviated COMUE). The list below indicates the status of those institutions designated as PRES or related associations before the 2013 law took effect. See the list of public universities in France for the current status of these institutions.

History

The reforms of French higher education in 1968–1971 broke apart several public universities into numerous autonomous successor universities. For example, the University of Paris was split into thirteen universities, Paris I through Paris XIII. These universities have subsequently formed groupings in order to pool resources and better advance their joint activities. Some of these groupings, which typically take the legal form of a groupement d'interêt public, or GIP, are themselves called universities or university centers. In addition to universities, they may include other institutions of higher education and research as well as municipal and regional governments. The process has accelerated with the law of 18 April 2006 on the reform of research in France. This has permitted the creation of tighter groupings called pôles de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur, or PRES. In addition, there are a number of consortia of engineering schools, such as the Grenoble Institute of Technology, that are so tightly united as to be listed as if they were single universities by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

Bordeaux

Systems and consortiums in Bordeaux:

University of Bordeaux

The present University of Bordeaux (Université de Bordeaux) is a PRES, established 21 March 2007, made up of the four successor universities to the former University of Bordeaux as well as a number of other institutions:

Bordeaux University Center

The Bordeaux University Center (Pôle universitaire de Bordeaux) is a GIP, made up of the four successor universities to the former University of Bordeaux, along with municipal and regional governments. The four universities are:

Cergy-Pontoise

The Cergy-Pontoise University as well as all upper education institutions of Cergy-Pontoise are organized in a PRES (Research and Upper Education Pole) including :

Clermont-Ferrand

Grenoble

Systems and consortiums in Grenoble:

University of Grenoble

The University of Grenoble was a French university founded in 1339. There are three present-day successor universities: The present University of Grenoble is a project of these three universities, together in the Grenoble Universités consortium with the Grenoble Institute of Technology, to place aspects of research, instruction, and support under joint administration. This project was formally established in November 2006, with the aim of starting work in 2007 and having the new University of Grenoble take over the tasks of the Grenoble Universités consortium by January 2009 at the latest. See the article Un PRES pour Grenoble ? (in French, dated 2005-11-21, retrieved 2007-11-10) from the Joseph Fourier University web site and the articles Une nouvelle étape dans la construction de l'Université de Grenoble (in French, dated 2006-11-29, retrieved 2007-11-10) and Une vision partagée pour construire l'Université de Grenoble (in French, dated 2006-11-29, retrieved 2007-11-10) from (le journal hebdomadaire de l'université Joseph-Fourier, edition of 04-09 December 2006), as well as the formal agreement AVANT PROJET DE PROTOCOLE DE CRÉATION DE L'UNIVERSITÉ DE GRENOBLE (in French, dated 2006-11-17, retrieved from the Grenoble Universités web site on 2007-11-10).

Grenoble Universités

Grenoble Universités is a GIP, made up of the following four institutions:

Grenoble Institute of Technology

The Grenoble Institute of Technology (le groupe INP Grenoble, l'Institut national polytechnique de Grenoble or INPG) is a consortium of six engineering schools: It was established in 1971, along with the other two French national polytechnic institutes.

Lille

Community of Universities and Institutions (COMUE) Lille Nord de France It includes the following establishments : Several institutions are associate members : It participates in 8 French competitiveness clusters. 139 research labs and institutes are associated to the European Doctoral College Lille Nord-de-France. Six doctoral schools are included with 3,000 registered PhD students.

Lyon

There is the following consortium in Lyon:

University of Lyon

The University of Lyon (Université de Lyon) comprises 16 institutions:

Marseille

Montpellier

Nancy

Pays de la Loire : Nantes Angers Le Mans

Paris

Rennes

Strasbourg

Toulouse

There is the following consortium in Toulouse:

University of Toulouse

The University of Toulouse (Université de Toulouse) is a Research and Higher Education Cluster (PRES) consisting of 14 institutions (universities and "grandes écoles"):