In the context of the autonomy granted to higher education institutions in France, the 4 universities of the Brittany Region (France) shared their common desire to maintain and strengthen the positioning of Breton institutions among the most prominent universities on the European stage. They created 2023 a permanent office in Brussels with the aim to:
- Enhance the relations of the universities with EU Institutions and stakeholders
- Strengthen their position among the most present universities on the EU scene
- Increase their opportunities to participate in EU projects
The University of Western Brittany (Université de Bretagne Occidentale – UBO) is a multidisciplinary university (health, human and social sciences, marine sciences, new technologies) located in Western Brittany (Brest, Quimper, Morlaix) and more widely throughout Brittany (through its Higher National Institute for Teaching and Education (INSPE) component). UBO teaches 23,000 students. It has established its name in the research sector worldwide with a position in the Shanghai academic subject ranking since 2019 in almost a dozen disciplines, particularly in oceanography (13th position), but also at the European level as a member of a European university (SEA-EU). It offers many training courses, including bachelor’s degrees, doctorates, technical degrees and engineering courses. It has 7 faculties, 8 institutes and 2 schools.
The University of Southern Brittany (Université de Bretagne Sud – UBS) has 3 campuses (Lorient, Vannes and Pontivy) and draws on the expertise of its 900 members of staff, including 500 lecturers and lecturer-researchers, to teach nearly 10,000 students every year. As the only public university in Morbihan, it offers a wide range of study programmes at different levels, ranging from a bachelor’s degree in technology to an engineering degree and up to PhD-level study. UBS owes its growth and influence to its tradition of innovation and proximity with its partners. It has 3 faculties: Law, Economics & Management (Vannes), Arts, Languages and Human & Social Sciences (Lorient), and Sciences & Engineering Sciences (Vannes and Lorient). On each campus, there is a University Institute of Technology (IUT). The engineering school ENSIBS offers courses in 4 specialities: computer science, cyber security, engineering & industry 4.0 and mechatronics in Lorient.
UBS’s training and research activities are based on four ecosystems: sea and coastline, data intelligence, industry of the future, and environment—health and disability. They are in line with four of the five strategic tracks of the Breton Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3): maritime economy for blue growth, safe and responsible digital economy, industrial economics for smart production, and health and well-being economics for a better quality of life.
Rennes University (Université de Rennes) is a multidisciplinary university with a strong presence in Rennes (3 campuses) and Brittany (Lannion, Saint-Brieuc and Saint-Malo). It has 3,300 members of staff and 30,000 students, making the university Brittany’s leading research and training institution recognised at the European and international levels, classified in the 501-600 band of the top universities in the world (Shanghai 2020). The university appears in many international rankings as a research university with over 1,000 doctoral students enrolled and nearly 250 theses defended every year, and it has a unique partnership with the following national research organisations (ONRs): French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (INRIA), and National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE). The University is also a member of the EDUC Alliance.
Rennes 2 University (Université Rennes 2) is the largest centre of research and higher education in the arts, humanities, languages, and human and social sciences in Western France. It teaches 23,000 students, including 3,000 continuing education students, in 24 different departments. It has 21 research units, including 5 CNRS mixed units. As mainsprings of energy and creativity, training and research domains at UR2 enable the academic and student community to participate in major societal issues actively. In addition, the university is the hub of a rich and regenerated cultural life.