Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Pessac

The University of Bordeaux was founded on 7 June 1441 by Pope Eugene IV. It was composed of four faculties: arts, medicine, law and theology.
The University was abolished in 1793 by the Revolutionaries and then reorganised by Napoleon Bonaparte who replaced the arts faculty by two faculties of arts and sciences.
On 16 January 1886 the new University Palace was opened and Montaigne's tomb was transferred there. Ten years later the faculties of arts, sciences, law, medicine and pharmacy were brought together to constitute the University of Bordeaux.
The XXth century was a time of turbulence and reforms. The University of Bordeaux was divided in three in 1970 with one university in Pau, and then into four in 1995. Among them the University of Bordeaux 3 named itself in honour of Michel de Montaigne in 1990.
Student numbers rose from around a hundred to 15, 000 and the twenty or so staff grew to 660 today.
It was also a time for moving, for the faculty of arts was set up in Cours Pasteur in the city centre before the University of Bordeaux 3 moved in stages to the campus at Talence-Pessac in the 60s and 70s.
The XXth century was also a time of growing reputation and influence due to the diversification of courses, the growth of research and a general opening up of the University.