University of Lille

The Community of Universities and Institutions (COMUE) Lille Nord de France (formerly Université Lille Nord de France) was a French Groups of Universities and Institutions (COMUE) spread over multiple campuses and centered in Lille (North - Hauts-de-France). It included a European Doctoral College and federated universities, engineering schools and research centers. With more than one hundred thousand students, it was one of the largest university federations in France. The University of Lille, with nearly 70,000 students, was its main component. The COMUE stopped its activity in 2019 and its activities were transferred to its founding institutions. History Founded as University of Douai in 1562, the university was renamed Université impériale de Douai-Lille in 1808, then as Université de Lille with faculty expansion in the Lille region from mid-19th century onwards. The roots of the faculties in law and humanities date back from the 16th century; The school of medicine and university hospital expanded rapidly from end-18th century; Research and education in mechanical engineering and chemistry expanded from the early 19th century; The faculty of sciences was set up in 1854 by bringing together different university-grade schools in Lille city centre; Research and education in control sciences and information technologies were set up in 1957; Research in fundamental physics, micro-electronics, molecular engineering and bio-technologies started in the 1980s. The university expanded into several campuses and formed several universities/institutions in Lille region and North at the end of the 20th century.