Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 Rankings 2015

Five french universities in the Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 Rankings 2015.

10	Paris-Sud University	France	57.5
11	Pierre and Marie Curie University	France	55.9

17

Paris Diderot University - Paris 7

France

50.5

36

Montpellier University

France

44.2

65

Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

France

37.6

Paris-Sud University
One of the largest universities in France, housing over 27,000 students, Paris XI is known predominantly for its scientific exploits. It boasts two Nobel Prize winners, both in Physics, and has world-renowned laboratories for particle, nuclear and molecular physics, among other disciplines. It has also prospered in mathematics with numerous French Fields Medal winners hailing from the university.

Pierre and Marie Curie University
France's largest medical and scientific complex was set up in 1971 following the break-up of the old University of Paris, although it can trace its roots back to 1109 and the Abbey of St Victor. With 120 research units on 33 sites, it has a 30,000-strong student body, including 3,500 doctoral students, which is served by around 3,250 academics.

Paris Diderot University - Paris 7
Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 is a multidisciplinary institution in the French capital. It has about 26,000 students, 6,000 of them international, around 2,000 researchers and some 1,400 teaching and research staff.

Montpellier University
Data refer to Montpellier 2 University, which merged with Montpellier 1 University to become Montpellier University in January 2015. The university has more than 15,000 students and around 1,450 members of staff. It is a multidisciplinary university with eight faculties and a particular focus on sciences and technological research. In 2010 it commanded a budget of 201.1 million.

Claude Bernard University Lyon 1
Formed in the early 1970s, the institution, which accommodates around 35,000 students, has established itself as one of France's largest universities. Some 80 per cent of its students study vocationally (in the fields of science, technology, health sciences and teacher training), enabling them to find appropriate work post-graduation. With 5,000 staff on 13 sites, it is also one of the biggest employers in the Rhône-Alpes region.