Paris-Sorbonne University

Paris Sorbonne University is the main inheritor of the old Sorbonne, which dates back to the 13th century. It was one of the first universities in the world.

The biggest complex in France, dedicated to Literature, Languages, Civilizations, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, is located on the original medieval foundations, and now extends to the Latin Quarter and to other areas in Paris.

The University has two characteristics : rich culture and tradition, with top-quality researchers, and therefore an excellent scientific reputation shown through publications and international exchanges; its concern to constantly adapt to present day social and technological changes and to encourage as many students as possible to study at Paris-Sorbonne while preparing for their future careers. The Sorbonne incites its students to think freely, to construct their own judgment, so that they can become responsible and inventive citizens who can promote dignity and peace culture. Paris-Sorbonne only offers classes in French.

Ranked 227th in the world overall, and as high as 33rd for arts and humanities, the Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV) has a current enrollment of almost 14,000 undergraduates and 7,000 graduate students. The university has seven campuses in the lively and student-oriented Latin Quarter, where its cultural department organizes more than a hundred national and local arts events every three months, including operas, theater performances, poetry competitions, dance events and music gigs.

Since the 13th century, the name Sorbonne has conjured up for the whole world the image of one of the most prestigious centres of intelligence and culture, of science and of the arts, of an age-old knowledge that spans the centuries and one that resounds to this day with the promise of excellence.

The University's central campus is the historic central Sorbonne building in the Latin Quarter. Before the 19th century, the Sorbonne occupied several buildings. The chapel was built in 1622 by the then-Provisor of the University of Paris, Cardinal Richelieu, during the reign of Louis XIII. In 1881, politician Jules Ferry decided to convert the Sorbonne into one single building. Under the supervision of Pierre Greard, Chief Officer of the Education Authority of Paris, Henri-Paul Nénot constructed the current building from 1883 to 1901 that reflects a basic architectural uniformity. The integration of the chapel into the whole was also Nénot’s work with the construction of a cour d'honneur. The Sorbonne building is generally reserved for undergraduate students in their third year and graduate students in certain academic disciplines. Only students in Semitic studies, regardless of level, take all their classes at the Sorbonne campus.

In 2013 Paris-Sorbonne ranked 216th in the world, according to the QS World University Rankings, 26th in the world for Philosophy, 16th for Modern Languages and 36th for History. The university has been ranked 64 in Social sciences and management according to the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings.

It is a founding member of Sorbonne Universités, an alliance with two other prestigious French universities specializing respectively in law and Sciences, Panthéon-Assas University and Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University. This alliance gives to the Paris-Sorbonne University students the possibility to study Sciences, Law and Political Sciences in several Dual Degrees. In 2012, two Graduate Certificates in Law are accessible for all the students member of the alliance "Sorbonne Universities" (Paris-Sorbonne University, Panthéon-Assas University, Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University).