Université d'Aix-Marseille II

Université d'Aix-Marseille II
source
Name	Université d'Aix-Marseille II
Established	1970
Closed	2012
Type	Public
City	Aix-en-Provence
Country	France
Campus	Aix-Marseille

Contents

Université d'Aix-Marseille II was a public French university formed in 1970 after the division of University of Provence (Aix-Marseille I) and later merged into Aix-Marseille University in 2012. The institution specialized in law, political science, economics, management, social sciences, and media studies, serving students across campuses in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. It played roles in regional initiatives tied to Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur development, collaborations with French National Centre for Scientific Research and partnerships with European programs like Erasmus Programme and CERN exchanges.

History

Founded in the aftermath of the May 1968 events and the reorganization decreed by the Loi Faure, the university emerged amid reforms that affected Paris-Sorbonne University, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and other French institutions. Early leaders navigated relations with municipal authorities in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, provincial bodies tied to Bouches-du-Rhône, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (France). Over subsequent decades the university engaged in exchanges with entities like Université de Provence (Aix-Marseille I), Université de la Méditerranée (Aix-Marseille III), and international partners including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Università di Bologna, Universität Heidelberg, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and Universidade de Lisboa. Debates around consolidation culminated in the 2009-2012 mergers encouraged by the PRES framework and policies associated with the Campus Plan, resulting in the 2012 formation of Aix-Marseille University.

Campuses were distributed between central sites in Aix-en-Provence such as the Centre Ville d'Aix-en-Provence and suburban campuses in Marseille near landmarks like Quartier Castellane and transport hubs including Gare Saint-Charles. Facilities included law libraries comparable to collections at Bibliothèque nationale de France, archives coordinating with Archives départementales des Bouches-du-Rhône, and media labs equipped for collaborations with broadcasters such as France Télévisions and Radio France. Student services interfaced with regional bodies like Conseil régional de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and housing initiatives tied to CROUS Aix-Marseille, while athletic programs used facilities associated with clubs like Olympique de Marseille and venues akin to Stade Vélodrome for events and partnerships.

Academic organization reflected faculties and departments similar to structures at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Sciences Po. Key units included faculties of Law, linked historically to courts such as Cour d'appel d'Aix-en-Provence and magistrates trained for the Conseil d'État, schools of economics and management paralleling programs at HEC Paris and ESSEC Business School, and departments of political science engaged with institutes like Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence. Additional divisions encompassed sociology departments interacting with researchers from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, communication studies with ties to Institut National de l'Audiovisuel, and postgraduate professional schools comparable to École Nationale d'Administration pathways. Degree offerings ranged across undergraduate licences and postgraduate masters in alignment with the Bologna Process and collaborations with European networks such as Erasmus Mundus.

Research activities involved partnerships with national and international institutes including CNRS, INSERM, INRAE, and the European Research Council through funded projects. The university housed specialized centers for comparative law that corresponded with research at Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, economics laboratories linked to INSEE datasets, and political research units collaborating with Centre d'études et de recherches internationales and think tanks like Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques. Media and communication research cooperated with Institut National de l'Audiovisuel archives, while social policy centers engaged with organizations such as UNICEF and OECD for studies on regional development and public policy.

Student governance included elected bodies similar to unions like UNEF and associations recognized by CROUS, while administrative oversight interacted with the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (France) and regional authorities including Conseil départemental des Bouches-du-Rhône. Campus cultural life featured theater and cinema events referencing works by Marcel Pagnol, exhibitions on Paul Cézanne, and collaborations with galleries like Musée Granet and performance venues such as Opéra de Marseille. Career services fostered links with employers including BNP Paribas, Société Générale, law firms appearing before the Cour de cassation, and international NGOs such as Médecins Sans Frontières for internships.

Alumni and faculty were active across French and international institutions: legal scholars who appeared before the Conseil d'État and Cour de cassation; economists affiliated with INSEE and Banque de France; politicians associated with parties such as Parti socialiste (France), Les Républicains, and movements tied to European Parliament delegations; and media figures connected to France 2 and Le Monde. Academic visitors and faculty included researchers who collaborated with CNRS, lectured at Sciences Po, or published with presses like Presses Universitaires de France. Prominent names associated through study, teaching, or research include jurists, economists, and political scientists engaged in national debates and international scholarship at institutions like Harvard University, Columbia University, and London School of Economics.