Creating futures since 1350
For more than 670 years, the Université de Perpignan Via Domitia has been a flagship for knowledge, research and ideas, both locally and internationally. Our founding principle, and what continues to characterise us today, is our multi-disciplinary approach. As a higher education and research institution, we are a major stakeholder in the development and competitiveness of the local area, particularly in the wider Occitanie region. Located at the heart of the Toulouse-Montpellier-Barcelona triangle, our strategic position and strong identity make us a principal contributor in cross-border relations. We are proud of our specialisations, both in terms of education and research, which respond to the needs of society and the expectations of our socio-economic partners, as well as consolidating our reputation on a national and international scale.
The Université de Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD) is a place to live, study, research, innovate and enjoy culture; a place where everyone can grow, discover and achieve; a place to shape tomorrow!
One of Europe's oldest universities
In 1350, Peter the Ceremonious, King of Aragon, founded the Université de Perpignan. It provided a comprehensive education in theology and the arts, along with canon and civil law.
In 1745, the Comte de Mailly funded the construction of a new building for the University. A garden along with physics, anatomy and natural history departments were created. The foundation stone was laid in 1760 and the building was inaugurated in 1763. Law, medicine, philosophy and theology were taught there until 1793, when the Convention, part of sweeping reforms under the French Revolution, abolished universities completely. In 2017, the new campus, built on the original location in the heart of the city, would be given the name of its very first patron: Campus Mailly.
It was not until 1957 that higher education once again found its place in Perpignan...