Université de la Réunion
About Université de la Réunion
Born of two volcanic eruptions, the French island of Réunion — in the heart of the Indian Ocean — is about 150 miles in diameter. The Université de la Réunion is the only European university in this part of the world. Its unique location, cultural diversity, and highly qualified faculty, makes it an ideal place not only to study but to experience a wide variety of lifestyles and traditions.
Academic Information
Among the university’s many strengths is its capacity to develop partnerships with foreign institutions, guaranteeing students a dynamic open-minded environment. In fact, more than 600 foreign students choose to study in Réunion each year. Currently, the university has three campuses: Saint-Denis (in the northern part of the island) and Le Tampon and Saint-Pierre (both in the southern part of the island).
The Université de la Réunion is also both a francophone overseas university and a European ultra-peripheral university comprised of the following:
- 5 Faculties:
- Law & Economics
- Science & Technology
- Arts & Humanities
- Human Sciences & Environment
- Health
- 3 Institutes
- Business School (IAE)
- Institute of Technology (IUT)
- Teachers’ Training Institute
- 1 engineering school
- 27 Departments
- 17 Laboratories
- 370 Teaching & Research staff
- Over 250 administration, technical & service staff
- 7 Cross-faculty Services
- 15 Central Administration Services
Academics at the Université de la Réunion
A member of the European Higher Education & Research Area, the Université de la Réunion offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees — or licence, master, and doctorat (LMD) in the French system. The LMD system comprises three stages:
- License after 3 years of undergraduate studies
- Master after 5 years of studies
- Doctorate after 8 years of studies.
Students can choose between the following four fields of study at any LMD level:
- Law
- Economics & Management
- Science, Technology, & Health
- Arts & Humanities
Research
Promoting quality research is a priority for the Université de la Réunion, as research is an essential driving force for the island’s economic, social, and cultural development.
Seventeen laboratories, including four UMR’s (joint University-CNRS Research Units) are the backbone of research at the University of Réunion. In addition to collaboration with French research bodies, strong links have been established with European and foreign research centers, particularly in the Indian Ocean area, in various fields such as economics, literature, and Earth sciences.
Research is organized around three competencies :
- Societies of the Indian ocean
- Nature and global changing
- Biodiversity and health
Housing and Meals
Students are placed in a residence hall and will receive meal stipends that they can use at the local cafeterias. The residence halls also have cooking facilities available.
Sports and Recreation
Students can take part in year-round artistic, cultural, and sporting recreational activities. The island offers a large variety of sports and leisure activities including surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, sailing, diving, big game fishing, paragliding, rafting, canyoning, hiking, trekking, horse back riding, mountain biking, and golf.
About Réunion Island!
- Capital: Saint-Denis
- Area: 2,512 km²
- Population: 776,948 inhabitants
- Time difference USA/Réunion: +9 ET ; +12 PT
History:
The Portuguese are thought to have been the first European visitors to the island, finding it uninhabited in 1635. Although François Cauche then hoisted the French flag on its shores in 1638, it was not officially claimed by France until 1642, when Jacques Pronis deported a dozen French mutineers to the island from Madagascar. The convicts were returned to France several years later, and in 1649, the island was named Île Bourbon after the royal house. Colonization started in 1665, when the French East India Company sent the first twenty settlers.
The name Réunion was given to the island in 1793 to commemorate the union between revolutionaries from Marseille and the National Guard in Paris, which took place on August 10, 1792. In 1801, the island was renamed Île Bonaparte, after Napoleon Bonaparte. But after an invasion by a Royal Navy squadron in 1810, the name Bourbon was again used. When it was restored to France by the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the island retained the name of Bourbon until the fall of the Bourbons during the French Revolution of 1848. The island was then given the name Réunion once again.
French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. Réunion became an overseas department of France on March 19, 1946.
Information from: Reunion Wikipedia
Region:
Réunion is a small almost-round island that was formed by two major volcanic eruptions that took place 2.5 million and 380,000 years ago, respectively. The volcano is still active today, and its regular eruptions offer an enchanting spectacle of safely approachable lava flows and fountains. At the center of the island are three gigantic basins (Mafate, Cilaos, and Salazie) that constitute one of the island’s major tourist attractions. Surrounded by walking paths, they offer nature lovers a spectacle of wooded gorges and extraordinary waterfalls.
Climate:
Réunion has a tropical climate. Temperatures range between 70°F and 79°F (21°C – 26°C). November to April is hot and rainy, while the rest of the year is slightly cooler and drier. Humidity is high, particularly on the east coast.
Fauna and Flora:
Palm trees from all the continents can be found side by side with the native Bourbon latanier palm and wild orchids. Some original species, such as the elegant Papangue, a bird of prey that hunts in the basins and ravines, and the Java deer can also be found. Additionally, the surrounding ocean teems with life, even close to the shore. The reef slope provides a habitat for coral growth. And beyond the reef, one can find migratory fish such as blue marlin, common dolphinfish, sailfish, tuna, and barracuda.
Student Life
In addition to its wide range of curricula, the Université de la Réunion boasts a high-quality environment for students, with guaranteed economic and political stability as well as security and health safety. Student Centers (Maisons de l’Etudiant) can be found on the Moufia (St-Denis) and Le Tampon campuses. A Student Life Board also coordinates regular cultural and recreational projects.
Students have access to more than 600 computers and to Wi-Fi terminals located in various parts of the campuses. Three university libraries comprise an exhaustive documentary collection of books and periodicals. Additionally, medical, psychological, and social services staff are on call at Medical Services (Médecine Préventive) to address any and all student health concerns.
Links
Office du tourisme de la réunion