HISTORY OF THE CAMPUS

Les Facultés de l'Université Catholique de Lille benefit from an exceptional study environment :

  • 10-hectare university campus in the town centre
  • Accommodation and catering facilities
  • digital campus which aids pedagogical innovation
  • multifunctional University health centre
  • campus that is open and attentive to all
  • university library and a digital library

 

A WORD ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE...
 

The Hôtel Académique remains the architectural centerpiece of the buildings forming the Vauban campus. The neo-gothic, four story building is 125 meters tall. From the bottom to the top, one can see the different materials used : blue stone, brick, white stone and slate. The building encapsulates many elements of the neo-gothic style from its numerous arches, spires, crockets, and railings to the decorative gargoyles.

The different facades, with their gargoyles… They all tell a story!

  • Above the Hôtel Académique sits two carved non-heraldic imaginary animals, one with the head of an elephant : famous for its memory and the other with the head of a dog, serving as a guide and protector for all those who enter.
  • On the back tower at the back of the Hôtel Académique are four black griffins. With their half lion, half eagle bodies, the griffins symbolically rule over earth and the air. During the European Middle Ages, the griffin symbolized the dual nature of Christ, both celestial and terrestrial.
  • A pelican can be seen on top of the Faculty of Medicine & Midwifery, as a symbol of dedication. Here, it symbolises the doctor’s dedication to patients. At the top of the façade is a biblical representation of the Archangel Saint Michael killing the dragon with a spear, which is missing.

THE BOTANICAL GARDEN :In 1885, the botanical garden of the Faculty of Science was created by Canon Nicolas Boulay, the holder of the chair in botany and Dean of the Faculty of Science. 


The botanical garden surrounding the Faculty of Medicine in 1887. 
Heritage and Archives Department Collection, Catholic Institute of Lille. 

 

The garden was crucially important at the time, because botany was playing an important role in medicine, science and pharmacy programmes.

The university wanted to have as many herbaceous plant species as possible available to students for their practical work, and anatomy and plant physiology courses. The garden houses collections of 100-year old trees and medicinal plants.

The herbaceous plants are grouped by therapeutic application and botanical family.

Originally, it completely surrounded the Faculty of Medicine and Midwifery. Over time its size has been considerably reduced. 

 

 

 

 

A UNIVERSITY AT THE CROSSROADS OF EUROPE

At the centre of the  Paris-London-Brussels triangle, Lille is a major metropolitan area of the Euroregion, with 2.2 million inhabitants. Its strategic location puts Lille in a position conducive to exchange, creativity and innovation. Its students therefore enjoy a cosmopolitan atmosphere, encouraging cultural and professional openness.

STUDYING IN LILLE

The influence of Lille, as a financial and administrative region, goes much further than the French Nord Pas de Calais region; its students live at the heart of a dynamic metropolitan area that attracts a huge number of businesses, which are all ready to assist students with their career projects.

Les Facultés de l'Université Catholique de Lille enjoy partnerships with major national and international groups such as Auchan, AG2R la Mondiale, Caisse d’Epargne, Rabot Dutilleul, GDF Suez, etc.

 

Ranked France’s 4th  best student city in terms of course quality (student numbers, number of higher education courses, proportion of postgraduate students, bachelor degree success rate, best “prep” classes, etc.)1, Lille is one of the largest French cities : in 2020, more than 130,000 young people decided to study here.

1 2020-2021 ‘letudiant.fr’ ranking of the best cities to study in

LILLE ALSO PROVIDES...
  • A youthful population: 36 % of the population is aged under 25 (youngest population in France).
  • An economy focusing on innovation, a region that hosts competitiveness clusters* in various sectors (transport, plastics, chemicals, health, biotechnology, eco-activity, technical textiles, imagery, etc.)

*A "pôle de compétitivité" (competitiveness cluster) brings together large and small firms, research bodies and educational establishments, all working together in a specific region to develop synergies and cooperative efforts around a shared theme. ("French "pôles de compétitivité". Clusters serving business and job growth. Cometitivte.gouv.fr)

  • Culture for all : 20 museums, including the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille (2nd largest museum in France), LAM(museum of modern art), the Louvre-Lens and la Piscine in Roubaix, ONL, Orchestre National de Lille, an internationally renowned symphony orchestra, an opera house, free shows and concerts, music festivals, a wide range of sports clubs, a professional football club, LOSC, and a major international stadium.
  • rich heritage : protected monuments such as the Hospice Comtesse, the Vauban Citadelle, the Vieille Bourse, etc.