Higher education in Nantes goes back to 1460, when the ducal University of Brittany was founded in the city by papal bull; it was dissolved in 1793, during the Revolution. A modern university was re-established in the twentieth century, and today the institution operates as Nantes Université, a public university in western France with sites in Nantes, Saint-Nazaire and La Roche-sur-Yon.
The present structure brings the university together with partner institutions. Centrale Nantes, a founding member, the École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Nantes and the fine arts school of Nantes Saint-Nazaire are listed as member institutions, and CHU Nantes, Inserm and the technology research institute IRT Jules Verne are associated with its governance. Inside the university, the faculties include Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Science and Technology, and Law and Political Science.
The university also runs sports sciences (STAPS), university institutes of technology (IUT) in Nantes, Saint-Nazaire and La Roche-sur-Yon, and an engineering school, the École polytechnique de l’université de Nantes. The university reports more than 40,000 students, so it stands among the larger universities of western France. The university counted about 2,150 teacher-researchers in 2018-19.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Food Science, Geotechnics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Sound Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Part of EUniWell European University Alliance, Udice. Strong regional partnerships in Pays de la Loire.
Research:
Marine and coastal ecosystems, Materials for energy and health, Nuclear medicine and cancer research, Digital sciences and AI, Sustainable cities.
Famous Alumnis:
René Laennec (Faculty of Medicine of Nantes legacy)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4300
Current students***:
43000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Comprehensive university with strong research areas, dynamic city of Nantes, includes leading engineering schools.
Cons
Recent merger, still consolidating its structure and identity, large and diverse institution.
Best For
Major comprehensive university with strong research in materials, marine sciences, and health, integrating engineering schools.
Université de Rennes, in neighbouring Brittany, matches the Materials Science and Environmental & Earth Sciences profile, with Computer Science & Cybersecurity.
Université de Bordeaux offers Materials Science & Engineering alongside Optics & Photonics and Neurosciences.
Université de Lorraine is another multi-site university strong in Materials Science & Engineering and Chemical Engineering.
Université de Lille combines Sciences & Technologies with Engineering via Polytech Lille and health sciences.
Université Côte d'Azur shares the interest in Earth & Space Sciences, with Computer Science & AI.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel in Germany pairs Marine Sciences with Nanoscience & Materials Science.
University of Southampton in the United Kingdom is relevant for Engineering and Ocean and Earth Science.
University of Gdańsk in Poland teaches Oceanography & Marine Biology next to Biotechnology.
University of Bergen in Norway is comparable through its Marine Science and Climate Research.
Ocean University of China is a Chinese university focused on Oceanography and Marine Engineering & Technology.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How old is the university tradition in Nantes?
The first university, the ducal University of Brittany, was founded in Nantes in 1460 by papal bull. It was dissolved in 1793, and a new university was created in the twentieth century.
Which institutions belong to Nantes Université?
Centrale Nantes, the architecture school of Nantes and the fine arts school of Nantes Saint-Nazaire are member institutions. CHU Nantes, Inserm and IRT Jules Verne are also associated with it.
Where are the campuses?
Most activity is in the city of Nantes, with several sites. There are also campuses in Saint-Nazaire and La Roche-sur-Yon.
What can I study in engineering?
Engineering is taught in the École polytechnique de l'université de Nantes and through the university's science and technology faculty. Centrale Nantes, a founding member of the group, is another engineering route.
How large is the student body?
The university reports more than 40,000 students. Figures vary by year, so the university's own statistics page is the reference.
Does the university offer health programmes?
Yes. Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry are among its faculties, and CHU Nantes is associated with the university's governance.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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