University of Auvergne - History

History

The first university existed between the 12th century and the end of the 15th century to Billom, near Clermont, with up to 2,000 students. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Bishop of Clermont, Thomas Duprat installed a university library. The King established the University in February 1519, but following protests by Charles III of Bourbon and the University of Paris, it was closed in 1520. In 1681, the King authorized the creation of a medical college in Clermont. The Faculty of Arts was founded in 1808, inaugurated in May 1810 in the hospital Charitains (demolished in 1906), but it is improvised from the Restoration in September 1815.

During the Second World War, the university hosted Clermont students and professors from the University of Strasbourg, fleeing the German occupation. The university was also severely affected: On 25 November 1943, the buildings were surrounded by the Gestapo, with orders to arrest deans, students and those from Alsace-Lorraine, and they all could be related to the resistance. Nearly 50 students and teachers were arrested and Collomp Paul, a professor of the faculty of Literature, was even killed by a gunshot. Large differences were created in particular political interventions in the implementation of the Reform of 1969 (Act Faure), but it was not until 1976 that the University Clermont only split into two separate institutions, Clermont II retrieving Literature, the Humanities and the Applied Sciences, the Natural Science and Technology, University Clermont I keeping it on the Law, Economics, the Medical and IUT. Although later on, both the universities developed their courses and were acclaimed prestige for their students and courses.

After the split, the relations between the two universities have been timid or nonexistent, but the situation has gradually improved. Today the two institutions have significantly come closer together and collaborate on some courses. The creation of PRES Clermont Université in May 2008 by the University of Auvergne, the Blaise Pascal University, the National School of Agricultural Engineers from Clermont-Ferrand (ENITA), the Ecole Nationale Supérieure of Chemistry of Clermont Ferrand (ENSCCF) and the French Institute of Advanced Mechanics (IFMA) is dedicated to ensuring the visibility and attractiveness of the university campus Clermont internationally.