About Us

The University of Montpellier, founded on 26 October 1289 through a bull issued by Pope Nicholas IV combining the schools of Medicine, Arts and Law, is the third university founded in France, following those of Paris and Toulouse.

In 1939, the new Faculty of Humanities was built in the city centre, facing Saint Pierre's Cathedral on the rue du Cardinal de Cabrières (currently home to part of the University of Montpellier 1's Law Faculty), and inaugurated by the then Dean Augustin Fliche.

In 1970, the former faculties formed three separate universities (Montpellier I, II and III). The Faculty of Arts, Languages, Social Sciences and Humanities becoming the "University of Montpellier III", whilst also taking on the name of Paul Valéry as a homage to the Sète-born writer who studied in Montpellier.

In 2015, the Universities of Montpellier I and II merged to be the University of Montpellier. Therefore, the University Paul Valéry of Montpellier III became University Paul-Valéry of Montpellier (UPVM).

Since 2002, all Nîmes students have been included in the University of Nîmes and are no longer part of the University of Montpellier III.