On 1 January 2012, in the heart of the Mediterranean, the University of Provence, the University of the Mediterranean and the Paul Cézanne University joined forces to create a single, powerful and multidisciplinary university. Aix-Marseille University was born. At the time of this first founding act, the challenge was to bring together cultures, values, and people, and to regroup the components. To recognise human wealth, in all its diversity, and with it, so much knowledge and ideas to share. The uniqueness of Aix-Marseille University is rooted here: to grow knowledge and ideas for the benefit of all, through interdisciplinarity, creativity and exploration.

When it was created in 2012, Aix-Marseille University brought together 132 research structures and 14 federative structures – in conjunction with the largest research organisations: Inserm, CNRS, CEA, IRD, INRA, etc. A unique position in the French landscape! Its strategy in terms of educational provision has therefore been developed around improving the clarity of its courses for students and the socio-economic fabric, on the one hand, and around cross-disciplinarity on the other. The university has thus grouped its disciplines around six major sectors structured into 17 components (faculties, schools, institutes, training centres), 122 research structures and 12 doctoral schools. Both multi and interdisciplinary, it covers the arts and humanities, languages and humanities, law and political science, economics and management, health, science and technology and finally the multidisciplinary sector. This unified university offers training that promotes the acquisition of academic knowledge and professional skills for successful integration, as well as structured research conducted in partnership with public bodies.

At the time, AMU was a very young university with the ambition of being labelled an « Initiative of Excellence », a federating project that would symbolise its existing and future strengths. With its exceptional potential in the heart of a dynamic region, it wants to raise its research and training to world-class levels. A convincing project, since it was the winner of the call for projects planned for this purpose within the framework of the Programme d’investissements d’avenir (PIA). In February 2012, the A*Midex university foundation was created to support the Aix-Marseille Initiative of Excellence. Little by little, thanks to a real in-depth work supported by its partners (Inserm, CNRS, CEA, IRD, Centrale Marseille, Sciences-Po Aix, AP-HM), AMU is positioning itself as a leading intensive research university, recognised for its attractive and innovative training. The goal? To make the region prosper by creating ambitious synergies to meet scientific and societal challenges. The challenge was met, as the Idex was perpetuated in April 2016!

AMU is a winner of the « Opération Campus » programme, in conjunction with the CPER (Contrat de Plan Etat-Région), which will enable it to renovate and modernise its campuses over the next decade in order to meet the best international standards. The university’s autonomy was reinforced in 2019 when it seized the opportunity offered by the State to become the owner of its property. Now owning 90% of the premises it occupies in the Aix-Marseille area, it is committed to maintaining them in good condition and improving their energy and environmental performance. More than thirty major real estate projects have been finalised since 2012. Today, sixteen are still in progress. Thanks to the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the mobilisation of its community, Aix-Marseille University is expanding: an opportunity for it to position itself as a major player in the region.