Rennes 2 University facts for kids
|
Université Rennes-II Haute-Bretagne
|
|
 |
|
|
Other name
|
Université Rennes 2 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1969 |
| Endowment | €106,000,000 |
| President | Vincent Gouëset |
|
Academic staff
|
645 |
|
Administrative staff
|
1,095 |
| Students | 21,445 |
| Undergraduates | 14,145 |
| Postgraduates | 5,183 |
| 478 | |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Nickname | "Rennes 2 la Rouge" |
| Website | www.univ-rennes2.fr |
Rennes 2 University (also known as UR2 or French: Université Rennes 2) is a public university located in Upper Brittany, France. It is one of the main universities in the Academy of Rennes.
The university's main campus is in the Villejean neighborhood, in the northwest part of Rennes. Another campus, called La Harpe, is also nearby.
Contents
History of Rennes 2 University
How the University Started
The first University of Brittany was created in Nantes in 1460. This happened because Francis II, Duke of Brittany, asked the Pope for it. The university taught subjects like arts, medicine, law, and theology.
In 1728, the mayor of Nantes wanted the university to move to Rennes. Nantes was more focused on trade, while Rennes was home to the Parliament of Brittany. This made Rennes a better place for a school. So, the law school moved to Rennes in 1730.
However, in 1793, the French government closed all universities in France during the French Revolution. It wasn't until 1806 that the law school in Rennes reopened.
Growing the University in Rennes
In 1808, Napoleon I changed how French universities were organized. He created the University of France. From the original University of Brittany, only Rennes was included in this new system. Nantes had to wait until 1970 to get its university back.
A faculty (or department) for letters opened in Rennes in 1810. By 1835, it had five schools, including French literature, history, and philosophy. A science faculty opened in 1840. These different faculties came together in 1896 to form the University of Rennes.
In the mid-1800s, these faculties were in the Palais Universitaire building. Later, they spread out across the city. For example, the Faculty of Letters moved to the Séminaire building in 1909.
The Creation of Rennes 2 University
In 1967, the Villejean campus opened. This campus was built for subjects like arts, literature, and human sciences.
In 1969, a new law helped French universities grow. This law also split the University of Rennes into two new universities. One of these became the 'University of Upper Brittany', which is now Rennes 2 University. At that time, the Villejean area was still developing, so new student housing and other buildings were needed.
Today, the science and philosophy departments are in the Beaulieu area in the east of the city. The Villejean campus in the west is home to departments for foreign languages, arts, human sciences, and social sciences. The medical school of University of Rennes 1 is also near the Villejean campus. It is connected to Brittany's largest hospital, Pontchaillou.
Rennes 2 in the 21st Century
Since March 2002, the Villejean campus has been easy to reach by subway. The 'Villejean-Université' station makes travel from the city center very fast, taking only about 5 minutes.
In 2015, a large indoor sports venue called Robert-Poirier Stadium opened on the Villejean campus. It can hold 12,000 people.
On January 1, 2023, Rennes 1 University joined with five other important schools to create the new University of Rennes. Rennes 2 University works closely with this new project, along with other research groups. This big group includes nearly 7,000 staff and teachers, 156 research labs, and about 60,000 students in Rennes.
Leaders of Rennes 2 University
| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 2023– | Vincent Gouëset |
| 2021–2023 | Christine Rivalan-Guégo |
| 2015–2021 | Olivier David |
| 2006–2010 | Marc Gontard |
| 2001–2006 | François Mouret |
| 1996–2001 | Jean Brihault |
| 1991–1996 | André Lespagnol |
| 1986–1991 | Jean Mounier |
| 1982–1986 | Jean François Botrel |
| 1976–1980 | Michel Denis |
What You Can Study at Rennes 2
Rennes 2 University is organized into 5 UFRs, which are like teaching and research departments. This way of organizing is common in French public universities.
- UFR of Sports (APS):
* Focuses on sports science (STAPS). * Includes one research group.
- UFR of Arts, Letters, Communication (ALC):
* Has 5 departments for subjects like Plastic arts, Performing arts, History of art, Literature, and Music. * Includes 4 research groups.
- UFR of Foreign Languages:
* Has 11 departments for many languages, including German, English, Arabic, Breton, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian. * You can learn 21 different foreign languages here, from beginner to advanced levels. * Includes 4 research groups, one of which is part of the CNRS (a big French research organization). * Also has a language center for non-students and the American Studies institute.
- UFR of Human Science:
* Has 3 departments: Psychology, Teaching Sciences, and Sociology, Language, and Communication. * Includes 4 research groups. * Also has a training center and an institute for criminology and human sciences.
- UFR of Social sciences:
* Has 4 departments: Economics and Social Administration, Geography and City Planning, History, and Mathematics for Social Sciences. * Includes 6 research groups, 5 of which are part of the CNRS. * Also has the American Studies institute and an institute for local administration training.
Life on Campus
Student Groups
Rennes 2 University has more than 50 student groups. This means it has the most student organizations per student among French universities! There's even a radio station called Radio Campus Rennes. Many of these groups are located in different buildings across the campus. The EREVE building, built in 2005, houses many of these groups, along with a book shop, information desk, banking, and health services.
Campus Festivals
Students at Rennes 2 organize many festivals. Some of these have become so popular that they are now city-wide events! Here are a few examples:
- "K-barré": This festival focuses on performing arts.
- "Roulements de tambour": This festival is all about music.
- "Travelling": This festival focuses on cinema and is now a big event in the city.
- "Tubas d'or": This festival celebrates short movies.
Notable People from Rennes 2
Famous Alumni (Former Students)
- Louis Le Pensec (born 1937): A former Minister of Agriculture and a member of the French Parliament.
- Marylise Lebranchu: A former Minister of Justice.
- Jean-Yves Le Drian: A former Minister of Defense.
- Bernard Bonnejean (born 1950): A writer.
- Étienne Daho (born 1957): A famous singer.
- Muriel Laporte (born 1963): The lead singer of the rock band Niagara.
- Christophe Honoré (born 1992): A film and theatre director and writer.
Notable Faculty (Teachers)
- Anne F. Garréta (born 1962): A writer who won the Prix Médicis in 2002.
- Jean Delumeau (born 1923): A historian who became a member of the Académie française.
- Dominique Fernandez (born 1929): A writer who won the Prix Médicis in 1974 and the Prix Goncourt in 1982. He also joined the Académie française.
- Henri Fréville: A former Senator, Member of Parliament, and Mayor of Rennes.
- Milan Kundera (born 1929): A writer who won the Prix Médicis in 1973.
- Jean-Yves Le Drian (born 1947): A Member of Parliament and former Governor of the Brittany Region.
- Robert Merle (born 1908): A writer who won the Prix Goncourt in 1949.
- Mário Soares (born 1924): A former President of Portugal.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Rennes 2 Alta Bretaña para niños
- List of public universities in France by academy
