University Paris Nanterre

From its very creation in the 1960s, University Paris Nanterre has dedicated itself to being a new type of institution of higher education. An institution of learning and research whose defining characteristics are its vibrant campus life, educational innovation and scientific research with a social dimension. University Paris Nanterre is located to the west of the greater Paris area, just next to the largest business district in Europe and in a dynamic area full of major urban developments. The Nanterre campus reflects the University’s forward-looking policy with respect to sports and cultural activities, environmental commitment and solidarity actions. In addition to its main campus in Nanterre, the University also has satellite sites in nearby Saint-Cloud and La Défense.

Today University Paris Nanterre has 34,000 students in undergraduate, postgraduate and professional continuing education with more than 20% of the student body from a foreign country. There are over 1,000 research professors and researchers in all disciplines of social and human sciences (law, economics, management, arts, humanities and languages, philosophy, linguistics, information and communication sciences, psychology and education, history, archaeology, anthropology, sociology, geography) as well as in sports sciences and physical education, mathematics, computer science and engineering.

University Paris Nanterre is a member of an Association of Higher Education and Research Institutions known as Université Paris Lumières. The University of Paris 8 and the CNRS research institute also belong to this prestigious grouping of institutions of higher learning. The INS-HEA (special educational needs and disability studies) and ENS Louis Lumière (National Film, Photography & Sound Engineering School) as well as numerous cultural institutions of both French and international renown (Louvre Museum, National Library of France, Quai Branly Museum, Centre Georges Pompidou, National Archives, INA – National Audiovisual Institute, History and Immigration Museum, etc. ) are also part of this exceptional educational initiative. This association is one of the leading educational and research bodies in France in the field of social and human sciences.

One of the highest priorities of University Paris Nanterre is to promote its strong and well-recognised international presence in higher education. The role of the International Relations Office is to support the international strategy of the university and to contribute to the implementation of the strategic orientations defined by the University Council of University Paris Nanterre and by the International Relations Council on which are represented all the different stakeholders in the University.

In addition to maintaining the wide range of rich and diverse partnerships (more than 400 agreements with partner universities across the world), the International Relations Office seeks to target promising geographical areas, as is already the case in Asia. Establishing ties with institutions in Asia is one of the strong points of University Paris Nanterre and many of its programmes attest to its success in this area: the increasing popularity of the Confucius Institute, special partnerships with Chinese universities, the creation of the Franco-Chinese Centre at the University of Heilongjiang, academic exchanges in the field of theatre with the University of Art and Communication in Beijing, partnerships in aeronautics between the University Institute of Technology in Ville-d'Avray and the Universities of Nanking. The BRIC countries, as well as Southeast Asia and Latin America, are promising areas. It is also important to strengthen the fruitful exchanges University Paris Nanterre has in Europe and in the Americas in order to meet the expectations of our students (study abroad programmes and internships) , our academic courses (double degrees) and our existing and future partners. With respect to the European programmes, the University will also be to work with the European Office of the Université Paris Lumières Association. The development of student programmes in French-speaking countries remains a priority.