Paris Nanterre University
| File:ParisX.Nanterre logo.png | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1970 |
| President | Olivier Audeoud |
| Students | 35,000 |
| Location | |
| Campus | Nanterre |
| Affiliations | University of Paris, |
| Website | [1] |
The University of Paris X - Nanterre is one of the 13 constituents of the University of Paris. It is located in the western suburb of Nanterre, near La Défense, the business district of Paris.
History
The University of Paris X was built in the 1960s on the outskirts of Paris as an extension to the Sorbonne. Based on the American model, it was created as a Campus (as opposed to the old French universities which were much smaller and completely integrated to the city they were in). The University of Paris X became famous shortly after its opening by being at the center of the May 68 student rebellion. The Campus was nicknamed "Nanterre, la folle" (Mad Nanterre) or "Nanterre la rouge" (Red Nanterre, in reference to the communist). To this day, the university remains traditionnally a center of the left-wing, as opposed to universities such as Paris 2-Assas, traditionnally inclined to the right.
Size and Scope
Nanterre is the second largest campus in France after Nantes, with its own Olympic pool and a stadium. It welcomes 30 to 35.000 students every year in all fields of studies: Social Sciences, Philosophy, Literature, History, Languages and Linguistics, Economics, Law and Political Sciences, as well as Teacher Training, Acting, Cinema, Physiology and Sports.
The University is reknowned in the fields of Law and Economics. Even though the university is required by law to admit anyone with a Baccalauréat, strain is put on the students from the start and the first year drop-out rate consistently hovers in the 60% region. At postgraduate lebvel, the university offers very competitive courses (highly selective Masters in lLaw and in Business) and innovative Programs (Bilingual studies and partnership with some grandes écoles such as the Ecole Polytechnique, or the ESSEC.
As in most Parisian universities, there is a large minority of foreign exchange students.
Innovative Programs
Over the years, Nanterre has developed innovative programs such as the double bilingual courses in French Law and Anglo-American, Spanish, Russian, German or Italian law, in Economics & Management (with half of the courses in French and half of the courses in another foreign language), in History (with half of the courses in French and half of the courses in another foreign language). These programs have inspired many universities and grandes écoles throughout the country and are now renowned on the national level.
Students and alumni
A few famous alumni:
- Daniel Cohn-Bendit, "Dany le Rouge", leader of the May 68 student rebellion and Member of the European Parliament;
- Nicolas Sarkozy, Home Secretary, candidate tot he French presidential election in 2007 and president of the Conservative party (Master in law in 1978);
- Christine Lagarde, French minister of trade;
- Olivier Besancenot, candidate to the French presidential elections of 2002 and 2007;
- Jean-Jacques Aillagon, former Minister for Culture, head of the Palazzo Grassi;
- Françoise de Panafieu, MP and Mayor of the XVIIth district of Paris;
- Olivier Duhamel, politician, former Member of the European Parliament.
- Bruno Gollnisch, Member of the European Parliament, general delegate of the [Front national].
- Marie-France Stirbois, Former Member of the French Parliament [Front national].
- Guy Carcassonne, expert in constitutional law;
- Luc Brisson, philosopher;
- Daniel Cohen, économist and journalist for "Le Monde";
- Alain Farshian, journalist;
- Vincent Bolloré, CEO of Bolloré and ranked the 451st-equal richest person in the world;
- Sylvie Germain, writer;
- Jeanne Mas, pop singer;
A few Famous professors and former professors
- Maurice Allais, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1988.
- Guy Carcassonne, French expert in constitutional law.
- Dominique Strauss-Kahn, French economist, lawyer, and politician.
- René Rémond, historian and political economist.
- Jack Lang, French politician, 1986-1988 and 1993-1999.
- Michel Crozier, French sociologist and member of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques.
- Emmanuel Lévinas, philosopher , 1967.
- Jean Baudrillard, philosopher.
- Paul Ricœur, philosopher , 1966-1970.
- Étienne Balibar, philosopher.
- Matty Chiva, professeur de psychologie
- André Legrand, professor of French and comparative public law, Human Rights, Civil Liberties.
- Claude Lepelley, historian, 1984-2002.
- Danièle Lochak, is a professor of law specialised in human rights and civil liberties. Former president of the GISTI, and member of the Ligue des droits de l'homme. She's the Director of the Centre de recherches et d'études sur les droits fondamentaux.
- Pierre Mélandri, historian.
- Alain Pellet, French experts on international law.
- Jean-Pierre Rioux, historian.
- Jean-Jacques Becker, historian.
- Jean-François Sirinelli, historian.
- Michel Troper, professor at the University of Paris X-Nanterre. He is also a member of the Institut Universitaire de France and the Director of the Centre de Théorie du Droit.
Paris X - Nanterre in fiction
- La Chinoise, by Jean-Luc Godard,1967;
- My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument, by Arnaud Desplechin, 1996;
- The Spanish Apartment, by Cédric Klapisch, 2002;
External links
Selected Master's programs.