Description

About UGA

The University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA, French: University of Grenoble Alpes) is a public university in Grenoble, France. It is the third largest university in France with approximately 45,000 students and over 3,000 researchers.

Founded in 1339 as the University of Grenoble, it was split in the 1970s following changes in French politics, only to reunite in 2016 under the name "University of Grenoble Alps".

UGA is traditionally known for its research and education in the sciences and engineering, as well as law, linguistics and psychology. It is often cited as one of the best and most innovative universities in Europe.

The university is organized around two closely spaced urban campuses: the 175-hectare Domaine Universitaire in Saint-Martin-d'Eray and the 250-hectare GIANT campus in Grenoble. UGA also owns and operates facilities in Valencia, Chambery, Les Houches, Villars d'Et. Arne, Mirabelle, Echirolle, La Tronche and Guire.

Grenoble is one of the largest scientific centers in Europe. It houses the facilities of all existing public research institutions in France. This allows UGA to have hundreds of research and teaching partnerships, including close collaborations with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the French Commission for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energy (CEA). Overall, Grenoble as a city is the largest research center in France after Paris, with 22,800 researchers.

Grenoble is also renowned for the excellence of its research in the humanities and political sciences. The University of Grenoble Alpes, along with public scientific institutions, has some of the largest research centers in France in areas such as political science, urban planning or the sociology of organizations.

Story

UGA History

Early history (1339-1800)

The University of Grenoble-Alpes was founded on May 12, 1339 by Humbert II Vignony, the last independent ruler of the Dauphiné (State of the Holy Roman Empire), teaching civil and canon law, medicine and the humanities. p>

Humbert's actions were inspired by his grandson Robert, King of Naples, in whose royal court Humbert spent his youth. King Robert, known as the Wise, skillfully developed Naples from a small port into a generous city and had a reputation as a man of culture and a generous patron of the arts, friends with such great minds as Petrarch, Boccaccio and Giotto. p>

This rich experience contributed to Humbert's intention to create a university in his own state, and for this he visited Pope Benedict XII to obtain the papal bull's approval.

Humbert cared deeply for his students, offering generous assistance, protection, and even providing free housing for a hundred of them. Humbert's financial losses during the Smyrniot Crusades, the Black Death and Dauphiny's attachment to France greatly reduced the activity of the university leading to its closure as the small mountain town was unable to support its activities on its own. It was again re-opened by Louis XI of France in 1475 in Valencia under the name of the University of Valencia, and the original university was re-established in Grenoble in 1542 by Francis de Bourbon, Count of St. Paul. The two universities were finally reunited in 1565. At this point, Grenoble was an important center of legal practice in France. It is not surprising that legal practice was at the center of university education.

The French Revolution, focusing on ending inherited privilege, led to the suppression of most universities in France. For revolutionaries, universities represented bastions of corporatism and established interests. Moreover, lands belonging to universities and used to support them represented a source of wealth and were therefore confiscated as property belonging to the Church.

Modern era (1800-1968)

In 1805-1808, Napoleon restored the faculties of law, letters and science. The Bourbon Restoration temporarily suppressed the letters department and the law school, but beginning in the 1850s the university's activities grew rapidly.

The development of science at the university was led by the transformation of Grenoble from a regional center to a major supplier of industrial engines and electrical equipment in the 1880s. The faculties were officially opened as the University of Grenoble in 1879 on the newly built Place de Verdun. In 1930 there were about 3,000 students.

Recent history (1968 to present)

After riots among university students in May 1968, a reform of French education took place. The Orientation Law (Loi d'Orientation de l'Enseignement Superieur) of 1968 divided the old faculties into smaller entities, reduced the powers of the Ministry of Education and created smaller universities with strengthened administrations.

Thus, sharing the fate of all French universities in the 1970s, the University of Grenoble was divided into four institutions. Each university had different areas of concentration of study, and the faculties were divided as follows:

• Medical University of Grenoble), which in 1987 was renamed the University Joseph Fourier (UJF) for Sciences, Health and Technology,
• The University of Economics and Law, which in 1987 was renamed the University Pierre Mendès-France (UPMF) for Social Sciences and Humanities,
  • The Institute of Political Studies of Grenoble, associated with the UPMF and focused on political science,
• University of Languages ​​and Letters, which was renamed Stendhal University in 1987, for arts and languages,
• Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble-INP) for engineering.

On January 1, 2016, the first three institutions reunited to re-establish the original common institution under the name University of Grenoble Alpes. Although Grenoble-INP remains independent, it is an active member of the University of Grenoble-Alpes community and works closely with the university not only in research projects, but also through the exchange of laboratories, offering mutual courses and training for students and researchers, etc. .p>

Requirements for applicants

Requirements for international students in France

France is home to world-famous universities. The application process for international students is the same as for French students, but it is necessary to contact the “Etude in France” platform and the regional office of “Campus France” (the government agency responsible for the promotion of higher education and the management of admissions and international student mobility).

The institutions of higher education in France are universities and "grandes écoles". "Grandes écoles" are the most authoritative in the French education system. In order to enroll, you must pass exams. Educational institutions in France are small, as are the classes. Universities accept both graduate and undergraduate students and are also easier to apply to.

It is important to note that French and international students must complete the application process and also provide all required documents. Students are eligible to receive scholarships and other financial assistance from the French government.

Accreditation

Rating

Student life

Student Life @UGA

the cost of living

Expenses expected upon arrival

• Accommodation security deposit (caveat): equivalent to one month's rent.
• Health insurance (215 € for students)
• Home insurance: the cost depends on the type of home. You should expect between 20 and 80 euros per year.
• OFII fiscal stamp to regulate your stay in France: 58 € if you have a “student” visa.
• Various other expenses (university study materials, accommodation options and arrangements, opening a bank account).

Basic monthly expenses

• Accommodation:
  • Student residence (CROUS): from 200 to 600 € per month.
  • In a mansion: from 450 to 600 € per month.
  • Apartment of 20 m2 in the city: average price: from 400 to 500 € per month.
  • Electricity and gas costs: about 50 € per month
  • Water: about 15 € per month
• Telecommunications: Purchase of a mobile phone with SIM card and Internet subscription: about 30 € per month
• Transport:
  • Local transport (tram and bus): 15 or 54 € per month depending on your age (Grenoble).
  • Bicycle rental: up to 25 € per month (Grenoble)

Daily expenses

• Midday meal in a restaurant: 10-14 €
• “Baguette”: 1 €
• Food at the university restaurant: 3.25 €
• Coffee in a bar or cafe: 1.50 €
• Beer: 3 €
• Cinema ticket: from 6 to 11 €

Nutrition

French cuisine is known for its sophistication and sophistication. Each region has its own specialties that are part of the French cultural heritage. In the Rhône-Alpes region you can enjoy the delights of duck dauphiniase (a special easy-to-prepare potato dish), ravioli (a local form of ravioli pasta filled with cheese), diet (special Savoie sausages), latte aux noix (the region around Grenoble, which is world-class center of walnuts!), lest we forget the famous vines of Savoy (from the vineyards on the mountain slopes around Chambery). The French usually eat three times a day. They have breakfast when they get up, and then lunch between 12 and 2 pm. (when many shops and workplaces are closed!) and do not eat dinner until around 7-8 pm.

Eating at university restaurants

University restaurants, commonly referred to as Restos U" or RU", provide the most cost-effective solution for a complete and balanced meal. These restaurants and cafeteria, operated by CROUS, are open to all members of the university community, Monday to Friday, mid-day - and evening - and to some. Payment must be made using a Moneo card, but some also accept cash.
If you are a salaried doctoral student, you may eat at the university staff restaurant, and you should inquire about your human resources to find such staff restaurants. If you are a salaried doctoral student assigned to a research institution, you should inquire about your human resources, if there is a staff restaurant and how you can access it.

Food in the city

If you want to eat, you have a choice: cafes, sandwich bars, fast food restaurants, brasseries (bar style restaurants), etc. Regular prices can range from 4 euros for a sandwich to 25 € for a full meal ( first course, main course, dessert), but you can pay much more in the best restaurants in Grenoble. You should note that many restaurants are closed on Sunday.

Basket

If you have cooking facilities in your residence, you will find many food stores near campuses. But remember that most of them will be closed on Sundays. You should also find a variety of open-air markets that are located in town squares in most areas, usually between 7am and 1am. They are good for buying fresh food: fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, etc.

Uni services

UGA Services

It goes without saying that the mountains and gorgeous streets must play a part in the life of any student studying in Grenoble, but culture is just as much for everyone. On campus in particular, there are many inspiring cultural events thanks to the large number of dedicated and creative stakeholders. Plenty of cultural facilities on site with initiatives and events all year round, leaving students spoiled for choice!

UGA, your cultural stakeholder

Got an idea for a cultural activity or got excited about participating in it? The Department of Culture and Scientific and Technical Culture can help and advise you.

It provides the organizers of university culture with projects with the human, financial and technical resources they need to create and rehearse in the highest performing arts of the University of Grenoble Alpes: "Amphidice".

Sport

No other university can boast the close proximity of three massive mountain ranges and natural parks (Belledonna, Chartreuse and Vercors) and the proximity of the highest mountain peaks in the Western Alps (Mont Blanc, Vannoise range and Ecrins). This wonderful place is unique, and this means that mountain and winter sports play a special role in the lives of many students and staff at the University of Grenoble. You should take advantage of this - and join in!

"Culture Bureau" at the Guatemalan University of Guatemala

In Grenoble, the Office for Culture and Student Initiatives, in its main mission, promotes and supports cultural projects carried out by students. With its office at Espace Accueil Information, in the center of the campus, its staff will be happy to inform you about:

• What's On in cultural events of interest to all students: The Bureau publishes a small booklet monthly entitled Un Tramway nommé.
• Student clubs and associations for the arts (eg, choral groups, instrumental groups).
• What's On in recreational and cultural events off campus and in the region.

The office also organizes visits to the campus and its many works of art and invites performing artists to meet students.

Study French in Grenoble

Le Center Universitaire d'Études Françaises (CUEF)

This university center for the study of French (commonly known as le CUEF) is a department of the University of Grenoble Alpes. It organizes courses and trainings throughout the year (and especially in the summer) for foreigners coming to study in Grenoble. The main goal is to develop oral and written knowledge of the language, as well as knowledge of French culture and civilization. Three types of courses are offered:

• Monthly Courses: Intensive courses with a focus on improving writing skills.
• Semester courses: in French and French.
• Specially designed courses: adaptation to a French university; preparation for university (new course); preparation for the DELF diploma (diploma of higher education) and the DALF diploma (Diplome approfondi de langue francaise).

Le Center d'apprentissage en autonomie (CAA)

This offline language learning center is open to anyone who wants to start learning a language or improve their language skills. You can decide how much time you want (or can) devote to this and adjust your own schedule. There are two possibilities for learning French as a foreign language:

• A completely self-paced learning experience for those who wish to work independently using course methods and audio, video and multimedia materials provided by the Centre.
• A self-learning process with monitoring and guidance for those who want one-on-one assistance from a teacher or monitor who sets the program and monitors the student's progress in meetings throughout the year, setting learning goals.

Why choose us?

Why choose Grenoble Alpes University?

The university offers great resources for international students, faculty and staff, while Grenoble offers an unrivaled quality of life.

The University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) is one of France's leaders in higher education and research. A comprehensive global university, UGA welcomes approximately 45,000 students annually to its high-quality academic programs and supports 80 research centers across all disciplines.

High quality academics

UGA offers a wide range of programs at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels, open to all students regardless of nationality. We also offer a range of programs taught in English, as well as many innovative programs that prepare students to study and work in the global marketplace.

UGA is an excellent choice for short-term programs: students from our exchange partners can study abroad with us for a semester or full year, and the UGA Summer School combines high-quality academic training with a variety of external, cultural, and linguistic activities.

Innovation and Research

As an international leader in pure and applied research, UGA also has a unique environment for innovation. Our researchers benefit from connections to a thriving local community of international business and industry, particularly in scientific and high-tech fields. We can also collaborate with major European research centers located in and around Grenoble to ensure outstanding results.

Life on Campus

Located on a 175-acre, self-contained campus, UGA offers a wide range of activities for students, faculty and staff. Community members can volunteer, engage in arts and culture, or participate in one of 35 different sports—there's something for everyone. International students can also join the university's international student association, IntEGre.

At the beginning of April, a traditional study trip for students of the Russian-French bachelor's program to the Grenoble partner university took place, during which students listen to lectures, visit enterprises, meet French students, and discover such regions of France as the Rhône Alps, Savoie and Ile des France

The results of the trip are presented in excerpts from the reviews of its program student participants.

Vladimir Azarov: There are cities that are not particularly well-known, but having visited them once, you want to return there again and again. Grenoble turned out to be such a city for me. The greatest travel experience I have ever had was the experience of this study trip. The university campus, more like a country park and botanical garden, the old city center, trams that seem to float through green meadows, +22 and constantly clear skies, and mountains, mountains, mountains... But the most important thing is the feeling that, at least and quite a bit, but we were still French students. The classes were very interesting, especially the lectures on industrial and international economics, taught by Faruk Ulgen; and, although I had already seen him at an open lecture when he came to St. Petersburg, I was pleasantly surprised by how he involved students in discussing the topic and how expressively he told even simple statistical data. We also had two meetings with representatives of enterprises, where we learned a lot of new things: how a hotel business can be built in France and how the government helps school graduates who did not pursue higher education. In addition to being in Grenoble, there were also Paris, Annecy, Lyon, Geneva and Montreux. And kilometers of landscapes outside the train window separating them. Undoubtedly, only the best memories of this educational internship will remain in your memory.

Svetlana Vernigor: Two months before leaving for the internship, I did not even imagine that the double degree program would give me a chance to get into a small paradise on Earth: both in the field of social life and in the field of education. Having visited France and the University of Grenoble-Alpes, and studied with charismatic teachers, you realize that education has no boundaries and there is no limit to your capabilities in studying economics. The twelve days of the study trip seriously expanded my horizons in the field of industrial economics, and in general in the field of European integration. The French professors we met have a special attitude towards how to present information to a student and a special behavior during a lecture. Teacher Faruk Ulgen changed my traditional view of the flow of money in the global economy, saying only: “Now, listen me attentively and remember that great phrase for the whole your life. Money creates from nothing." And this is not the only striking example I can give.

The cultural aspect of a trip is always important. The very word France evokes the smell of French perfume, the taste of the famous Camembert cheese, as well as thoughts of the Eiffel Tower and the famous Mona Lisa. It’s not every day that you get to see with your own eyes the great achievements of the whole world and try French delicacies. And I’m glad that I managed to combine business with pleasure.

Also, I would like to express my gratitude to the partner universities (St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Grenoble-Alpes) for the formation of a double degree program, for a financially accessible chance to see the world and fill your “knowledge bank” with experience, wise thoughts and, of course, European knowledge in the field of economics and management!

Khodosova Evgeniya: When I just entered the first year of the Russian-French bachelor's program (back then, before the merger of Grenoble universities, together with the Pierre Mendes France University), I knew for sure that I would go on a study trip in the 2nd year. For me, this was an opportunity not only to see the country as a tourist, but also to spend a useful trip, because the main purpose of the trip was to get to know the university, of which I am also a student. It all started with our arrival at the Grenoble train station, and the city immediately pleased us with good weather and beautiful views, which immediately set a good mood for the rest of the days. Our acquaintance with the university began with the academic campus, which looked more like a cozy country house, which was very unusual compared to our multi-storey urban academic buildings. In addition to us, guys from other cities, such as Moscow, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, who are also students of this program, took part in the study trip; it was very interesting to communicate with them and exchange experiences in studying in this program. In addition to the usual lectures, we also had meetings with representatives of enterprises, which allowed us to learn from the inside the system of doing business in France. I would also like to note the uniqueness of this experience, which allowed me to feel like a full-time European student for at least a week and listen to lectures by French teachers. A pleasant addition was visiting cities such as Annecy, Geneva and Paris.

Plotnikov Anton: The study trip to France was a very good experience. Grenoble is a cute town with a touch of provincialism, quiet and bright. Since the trip is still educational, we spent most of the time in Grenoble studying. The trip brought our team together and allowed us to make new acquaintances, since in addition to us, representatives of similar programs from other Russian cities came to Grenoble. In addition to Grenoble, we visited Annecy and Geneva, and the trip ended in Paris. Each city has its own charm, but I would like to study in Grenoble, because the teachers there are simply excellent, the lectures I listened to were fascinating and interesting.

Firstly, I would like to say about our University of Grenoble-Alpes and the lectures we heard. Meeting French teachers was very useful. Now, behind their names on textbooks, we see their faces and remember the lectures. Of course, we already knew Faruk Ulgen, Natasha Collet, and Alan Laurent, but this made it even more interesting to listen to them (and Faruk’s lectures amazed us, and he will forever remain unrivaled, he spoke so openly, simply and a little philosophically about economics, money and much more). All this, together with the picturesque views of Grenoble, its mountains, small streets, les boulangeries (bakeries) and the best la fromagerie (cheese factory) will remain in our hearts!

And perhaps the most important thing we took away from this trip was that we spoke French! And in one store the seller said that our pronunciation was very good and that was the best of praise! We mentally thanked our French teacher Marina Aleksandrovna Kichatova a thousand times.

And in conclusion, I would like to say a huge thank you to the leadership of the Program for the chances and opportunities that the Russian-French bachelor's program at St. Petersburg State Economic University provides and which we do not intend to miss!

Grenoble

In France, in Grenoble, I studied for a year - this was in 2002. Grenoble is a small city, the population of the municipality itself (the administrative center) is only 160 thousand people, but with the adjacent communes this is 450 thousand people, or one of the 10 largest French agglomerations. In addition, Grenoble is the largest of the Alpine agglomerations (larger than Innsbruck in Austria), which is why it is called the “capital of the Alps.” Grenoble is a university city. When I studied there, there were three universities, but now universities are being consolidated in France: as a result, all three universities have now been merged into one, which has 45 thousand students.

Before I came to Grenoble, I already knew this region and this city. It so happened that I started studying French at the age of seven. My mother was a French teacher at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, and I studied at a special school named after. Polenov on Arbat. And in the 90s, our family didn’t just do business, but rather had a small part-time job: we welcomed French people into the family, they lived with us. Then the famous French travel agency Nouvelles frontières offered the French who wanted to go to Russia two options: either you go to a hotel and are led in droves around Red Square, or they are looking for a family for you. The search for families took place using certain mechanisms. For example, through the Society of Friends of France. And since my whole family is Francophone: dad, mom, sister - everyone spoke French, and we lived on Arbat (opposite Spaso House - the residence of the American ambassador), naturally, we received the French almost every week. They lived with us for three or four days, then were replaced by others. We had to feed them, it was not necessary to entertain them, but we tried our best. And I included: I led excursions around the city, around the Moscow metro, around Moscow. Thus, I improved my French very well, because in a special school they teach good grammar, but still, oral communication with native speakers is completely different. It so happened that among these French there were people from Grenoble, we became friends with them, and they invited me to visit them. Mom and Dad agreed, understanding my interest in France and the French language. This is how I first visited Grenoble.

Then, when I was already studying at Moscow University, I once again went to visit friends in Grenoble. I liked it there, and what I liked more was not Grenoble itself, but the city, which is located in the mountains, 40 kilometers from it. It so happened that I had a lot of friends: both in Grenoble itself and in the mountains. Therefore, when in 2000 I graduated from Moscow University and received a two-month internship in Paris, I thought that it would be right to study in French along with Russian graduate school. And I submitted documents to two places: Paris and Grenoble. But Grenoble seemed preferable to me, because, firstly, the Grenoble communication school based on the GRESEC laboratory (Stendhal University “Grenoble-3”) turned out to be even more famous than some Parisian ones. The Paris CELSA seemed too industrial to me, and the Grenoble one seemed more academic, which was closer to me. They read Foucault, Bourdieu and many others there, and this seemed terribly interesting to me after the Moscow journalism department, where modern humanitarian theory was not taught at such a high level. And I got there, and on the first try. But I had to wait a year, because the embassy did not issue scholarships for a year - there was some kind of technical glitch. A year later, I won a scholarship from the French government and went to Grenoble to study for a master’s degree. By the time I left for Grenoble, I had already defended my PhD thesis in journalism. I left Moscow a week after my defense. Since I had already been accepted to the University of Grenoble, I had to finish my dissertation quickly, and I did it in two years. There was also a choice in Grenoble: there are one-year and two-year master's programs. It was a one-year program, and based on the results of the training, one could enroll in graduate school, which is what I did after graduating. I had the second result in the course, and therefore I could probably apply for a temporary position at the university to write my dissertation. But I understood that it would be difficult for people from outside the European Union. The likelihood of getting a position due to my citizenship was not very high, even though I had such a high result. And that's why I came back.

Now about Grenoble. Education there was structured completely differently from what I was used to at the journalism department. The fundamental difference was that there were very few classes: we only went to university a couple of times a week. But there was a lot of research work - either individual or group. We created mini-teams to develop specific topics, and then worked together on them. For example, a colleague and I created a mini-team and worked on mobile telephony as an industry. We did a lot of scientific work, including interviews and all sorts of other methods. For this we received the best grade on the course - 19 points out of 20 possible. This is a very high score; the French never or almost never give such ratings. In general, creating mini-groups with specific research tasks was a new experience for me. We had two or three projects of this kind that we did in these mini-groups. And the second thing that I remember very clearly. We had a seminar in the form of teleconferences with two other universities, led by my supervisor Bernard Miège. One of these universities was in Montreal, the other in Paris. We did joint projects with their students. Paris - Grenoble - Montreal - that's how we worked. At each regular seminar, a colleague from some university gave a theoretical report, then we all discussed it, followed by questions from each side - and all this in a video conference format. And sometimes students prepared joint reports: for example, Grenoble prepared a report with Paris, Paris with Montreal, and so on. None of this happened in Russia, and even now you rarely see such things in Russia. The benefit of such work also consisted in “cross-pollination”: to put it simply, the professor from Grenoble knew one topic better, the professor from Paris knew another, and from Montreal knew a third, and this is how they connected. It was such an interesting thing that, in principle, distinguished studying in Grenoble from studying in Moscow. Colleagues from these three universities dealt with a common theme: the mediatization of education. By the way, the defense of my dissertation in Grenoble was later held in the form of a video conference, because one of the opponents was from Montreal. And, in order not to transport the person from Montreal to Grenoble, he was connected to a video conference. And it was not Skype as a technology, because Skype goes over Internet channels, and then it was much slower and less reliable. Video conferences were held over ISDN channels. This is a different technology: the camera is placed on the TV and controlled by a separate remote control. This gives higher resolution and, accordingly, quality. At the same time, the signal transmission speed is much higher than when using Skype. Now about the meaningful points. The French approach is generally very unique. The American approach is either very empirical, or based on classical sociology, the Michigan School, and so on.

And the French and to some extent the Germans are what we call a critical approach. They come more from Bourdieu, they have leftist ideas, they have Foucault, they have many references to the works of colleagues, which we very often do not even classify as sociology, or they simultaneously fall into the field of several sciences (for example, philosophy, sociology and political science). In general, a significant part of French communicativists professes such a critical approach. From this, many unique ideas and approaches were born, including the sociology of the use of media technologies. They are only French; they have no or almost no analogues in their pure form in other schools. That's why I was terribly interested. The study of the theory and practice of media communication in the form in which it existed in French universities greatly expanded the understanding of what we here in Russia called journalism or the media. In France, media studies were carried out in a broad interdisciplinary context and included a strong theoretical component that provided a conceptualization of all the knowledge about communication that had accumulated up to that time. There, communication sciences emerged as a separate field around the 1970s. They formed the so-called 71st section of French universities.

France is one of the countries where the academy has lost its battle with officials.

What else was there that we didn’t have? French universities have created a unified professional council at the ministry level. It approves the candidacies of people who apply for a particular position in the university system. It includes representatives from all universities. The system is, of course, very bureaucratic. France is one of the countries where the academy has lost its battle with officials. It works like this. If you want to apply for a position at a French university, you must first qualify. That is, someone has to say that you are a qualified person. Therefore, French universities post information about their vacancies not in the media, but on a special platform of the Ministry of Education and Science. And the Ministry of Education and Science conducts a qualification campaign once a year. The campaign is run like this. You are given a number, and you must send your dossier via an electronic system to two so-called rapporteurs independent of you, which will be considered at the general session, usually held in January. It includes representatives of all major French universities, specialists in this particular field, and the French have about a hundred such fields. You can imagine the number of professional colleges that gather there. They review these dossiers based on formal criteria, check a box, and then publish a list of those who have passed the qualifications. If you have qualified, you are in this system; you can then submit your candidacy to different universities for positions that are announced as vacant. Naturally, with such a system it is difficult to invite foreign professors. The French almost never invite them, and the intensity of scientific exchange is decreasing. By the way, one of the reasons why the French have succeeded very well: only those who are well versed in this French model of education are accepted into graduate school. If you have completed the French doctorate, you will easily master this thing, pass the qualification and be able to apply for a position at the university. And foreigners who hold positions in French universities most often completed French doctoral studies - that’s why they are familiar with this system. Or option two: most often in France, foreign professors work in Sciences Po (institutes of political sciences, where future politicians often come from). Why? And Sciences Po are not part of the university structure. During my studies, as already noted, there were three universities in Grenoble. The first is the Joseph Fourier University, a purely mathematical and natural science university. It is located in the central square, directly opposite the prefecture. Another university is called the University. Pierre Mendez-France "Grenoble-2". This is a university that deals mainly with social sciences. And the third, the smallest, where I studied, is called the University. Stendhal "Grenoble-3". This numbering of universities is a legacy of 1968. They took large French universities, divided them into pieces, and each piece received its own separate specialization and number. Grenoble is known as a scientific center and is one of the French cities with a hadron collider. A large number of scientists came there: physicists, natural scientists and sociologists.

My university had not only a number, but also a name: University named after. Stendhal "Grenoble-3". This university mainly specializes in communication sciences and philology. I think about 10 or 15 thousand students studied there. Both Stendhal and the second University of Grenoble were on the same campus. This campus houses all the university premises, a large fundamental library, common to the two universities, plus all administrative services. I didn't study on campus, I lived on campus. I had a hostel, and it had a separate room with all the amenities. But I studied in a new suburb of Grenoble, because the Institute of Communications and Media was located there. It was a new building, built around 1994. It received a special status and was separated from the main campus. It has a very specific architecture: glass and metal structures, many galleries inside, a courtyard - in general, it is different from classic university buildings. Why was it moved off campus? I have my suspicions about this. At the time it was being built, the rector of this university was my supervisor, Bernard Miège, who headed the laboratory that dealt with media and communications. And, apparently, a separate project was invented for the institute. In my opinion, money from the local municipality was also invested in it, and this building was built in the center of the suburb, opposite the city hall.

The laboratory where I studied is one of the most famous in France. It so happened that, in fact, it was from Grenoble that the separation of communication science into an independent scientific field began. Even before it was identified as a separate specialty, work in this area began in Grenoble. It was started by economists and sociologists who began to study communication phenomena and gradually brought it to the interuniversity level to create a separate direction in research. Therefore, Stendhal University is quite famous in this area. For a long time, my scientific supervisor Bernard Miège headed this laboratory; many specialists in the field of communication know him, and he is also familiar with our Moscow colleagues. Unlike many French scientists, he was involved in international networks. But I cannot say with certainty that the Stendhal University Grenoble 3 was known for anything other than communications - I cannot judge subject areas that lie beyond my interests.

After finishing my master's degree in Grenoble, I entered doctoral studies, began writing a thesis, and in four years I completed it. There, in Grenoble, with the same leader. One day, in a conversation with me, he made it clear that he was interested in what I was doing. And he added that it would be great if I continued to work on my topic in doctoral studies. That's what I did. In general, I enrolled in doctoral studies in 2003 and defended myself in 2007. Remote work did not create any inconvenience. In France, there are no classes as such in doctoral studies: you just write a paper and that’s it. And this can be done anywhere, the main thing is to periodically show the text to your supervisor. Of course, I regularly went there, showed my work, and we discussed something with him. Or I invited him to Moscow if such an opportunity arose. And in 2013, I taught in Grenoble for three months, that is, ten years later I returned there for a relatively long time. This time I was invited to Grenoble as a visiting professor at the UNESCO Chair at the Institute of Communications and Media.

The X Winter Olympic Games were held in Grenoble in 1968. This, naturally, affected the city itself. Part of the infrastructure was built for the Olympics, there are even houses there that are called “Olympic” because they were built for the Olympics.

Now about the city itself. Grenoble is a city that was the capital of the province of Dauphine. It bordered French-speaking Italy, and the border ran in the mountains above Grenoble. Literally like in the famous film “The Law is the Law.” I think this state was called Piedmont. In this state they spoke a language that the French call Franco-Italian or Franco-Provençal. This language is borderline between French and Italian. Today, Franco-Provençal is spoken only in the Val d'Aosta valley in Italy. The capital of the next region, Savoy, which is located a little to the north, also belonged to Piedmont. The city of Chambery and everything to the right towards Turin belonged to this state. If you come to Turin, it is somewhat reminiscent of Grenoble. Therefore, Grenoble has this charm that makes it different from other cities in France. This is a colorful city, even the houses are colorful. This makes it very different from Paris or even Lyon, the imperial cities.

Of course, Grenoble is very beautiful with its landscapes, because it is surrounded by three mountain ranges. One massif is called Beldon, the other is Vercors: this is a plateau about a thousand meters high. You can climb to this picturesque plateau and walk there. There, cows graze in the meadows. By the way, in this place there were most of the partisans from the French Resistance movement during the Second World War. There's even a museum dedicated to the history of the Resistance. And the third massif surrounding Grenoble is Chartreuse. Thus, the city is located in a basin, so it has a special microclimate. Grenoble is both the coldest city in France and its hottest city: in summer it is hotter than anywhere else, and colder in winter.

Now about the sights of Grenoble. Grenoble has a wonderful fine arts museum. It is new, it was built relatively recently, maybe in the 80-90s, but it contains very good paintings by Italian masters. The city center is quite beautiful. There is an episcopal curia and a museum attached to it in the premises of the old episcopal palace, where the ruins of an ancient Roman city that was located on this territory were found underground. The excavation was placed under glass, and now you can, walking along the street above it, admire the medieval architecture and frescoes of the old bishop's palace, and when you go downstairs, you can admire the ruins of the ancient Roman city. It turns out that the cultural layers of the city seem to be revealed to the viewer one after another. This is the concept of the new museum. The space of the city began to be “cultivated” relatively recently - in the 80s or 90s of the last century. The city began to grow not so long ago either. In fact, the Grenoble agglomeration began to expand just at the time when I was studying in Grenoble. Then there were only two tram lines in the city, but now there are five. This is the main transport in the city - it is also very small. This is generally very typical for France, when in small towns the main transport is the tram. By the way, the tram was launched in Paris quite recently, literally in the last decade. In other large cities (Toulouse, Nantes, even Bordeaux) trams have existed for quite a long time.

The development of Grenoble is largely due to the growth of universities in the city. Although they arose quite a long time ago, they began to grow, as far as I understand, after the X Winter Olympic Games, which were held in the city in 1968. This, naturally, affected the city itself. Part of the infrastructure was built for the Olympics, there are even houses there that are called “Olympic” because they were built for the Olympics. Plus, a ski station was built in Grenoble, called “Chamrousse”. It is located 40 minutes from Grenoble by bus. This is an Olympic slope, which later became a popular ski resort. It is not as famous as the Three Valleys and other French resorts, but it is quite good. It is cheap, and therefore there are a lot of young people there. Unlike large ski resorts, where the skiing is connected to the city or is located within the city, there is simply a ski station built only for sport skiing. Students love it very much, I skated there almost every weekend. There is a very developed and convenient service associated with the ski station. When you come to the city bus station, you can buy a day pass, which includes skiing and travel to the ski station and back by bus. During the day you can go there, and even ride a little.

Well, what else is there in Grenoble? There is a Bastille in Grenoble. In fact, these are the remains of the city fortress, which is located on the mountain. There are two ways to get there. The first route, also called “eggs”, is a funicular. It consists of three round cabins that go three there, three back, right from the center, from the river. There are two rivers flowing in Grenoble - the Isère and the Drac. The department whose center is Grenoble is called Isère. The Isère originates somewhere near the Italian border, in Haute-Savoie, in Grenoble it already becomes a full-flowing large river and then flows into the Rhone. If you don’t want to go up to the Bastille by cable car, you can go on foot. There is a park with winding paths along which people often run.

It's not a big enough city to have many museums. In addition to the art gallery, there are, of course, some new museums. For example, a slot machine museum. There is an interesting local history museum of the Dauphine region, where you can come and see cool installations: houses of Alpine peasants the size of a matchbox, with all their household utensils.

Sometimes it snows in Grenoble. In winter, when it is cold, it falls for a couple of days. And since the city is in a basin, the snow does not melt immediately. Somewhere from November-December, the mountains around Grenoble are completely covered with snow, and it is very beautiful. And in the city itself at this time it can be about 0 or -2. But the history of Grenoble is not so rich that it is in any way very different from many other small towns in France. And its construction still took place mainly in the second half of the 20th century. The most remarkable thing about the city is not so much the architecture or museums, but the views and landscapes. Grenoble and the valley in its immediate vicinity are the capital of walnuts. This is the largest French region where walnuts are grown. Moreover, Grenoble is famous for making wine from them. This is a purely Grenoble thing.

Grenoble is also interesting because it is perfectly located: it is two hours from Geneva, one hour from Lyon and half an hour from the city of Chambery. With its proximity to Lyon - only 120 kilometers, an hour by train - Grenoble is especially convenient. There are people who work in Lyon and live in Grenoble. But there are a couple of interesting places that are located in close proximity to Grenoble. One of these places is a monastery called Chartreuse. This is a monastery founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in the 11th century. It is located in the mountains. There is a museum there that you can visit. The main thing is that the monks of this monastery keep a recipe for a special alcohol tincture called chartreuse. In the Grenoble region this is a brand, there is even a separate store for tastings and tours of the workshop where this liqueur is sold. There are two types of chartreuse. There is chartreuse with a light consistency that can be added to tea. As I understand it, it is infused with herbs because it is green in color. And there is a highly concentrated chartreuse - 80 degrees, which is sold specifically in small vials exclusively for medicinal purposes. It is dripped onto a piece of sugar and swallowed. I tried it and it really helps.

All the years after finishing my master's degree, I regularly came to Grenoble. In fact, it became my second homeland, I returned there all the time and continue to return. If I appear somewhere in the area of ​​Lyon, Geneva, and so on, I can’t help but stop by.

The University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) is located in the city of Grenoble (south-eastern France), which is a major industrial, scientific and university center of the French Alps region. The city has 54 thousand students, the bulk of whom are students from the University of Grenoble Alpes.

The university was founded in January 2016 as a result of the merger of three Grenoble universities: Pierre Mendes-France University (university of humanities and social sciences), Joseph Fourier University (technological and medical university), Stendhal University (linguistic sciences). The university's roots go back to the University of Grenoble, founded in 1339 and one of the oldest universities in France.

Today, the university provides the widest educational opportunities in four areas: Arts, Literature and Languages; Jurisprudence, Economics and Management; Humanities and Social Sciences; Natural Sciences, Technology and Medicine.

Key indicators of the university: 45,000 students, of which 6,000 are foreign students; 3,000 teachers and researchers; 24 faculties, educational schools and institutes; 80 scientific laboratories; 653 partner universities in 80 countries; 53 double degree programs. The university budget is 450 million Euros. The developed infrastructure of the university campus includes 8 libraries, a dormitory system, 45 sports grounds and a swimming pool.

Due to the location of the university in the historical center of the region, which also has rich recreational potential, education at the University of Grenoble Alpes is accompanied by culture, sports, and tourism.

For the last ten years, the University of Grenoble Alpes has been actively cooperating with other European universities and universities in third countries on the implementation of the Bologna process, on projects in the field of scientific cooperation, attracting scientific personnel, and implementing student mobility within the framework of the Erasmus + program.

About the faculty

The Faculty of Economics provides training in the field of economics and management at all levels of higher education: bachelor, master, doctor. Provides distance learning in the field of economics and business administration. The presence of qualified teaching staff, programs that meet modern international standards, as well as contacts with various enterprises contributes to the development of practical work skills and theoretical thinking.

Université Grenoble Alpes (OT) is a comprehensive university offering high quality teaching in all academic disciplines and at all levels: undergraduate, master's, doctoral, as well as certificate programs and student exchanges.

UZA is located in Grenoble, an international city and a great place to live, work, and study. Conveniently located in the Alps, Grenoble has an incomparable natural setting, with opportunities for sports enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Grenoble also participates in the good life of France, offering a wide range of cultural events, vibrant nightlife, and hundreds of restaurants for those who want to sample France's world famous cuisine. French and international students are involved and know: students will have no problem finding organizations and events that are important to them.

A public university, UGA embraces the values ​​of France for higher education.

Story

The university was founded in 1339 by Dauphin Humbert II of Viennois and Benedict XII to teach civil and canon law, medicine, and the humanities. However, the institution lacked resources and dissipated after the death of Humbert II. It was restored in 1542 by Francis de Bourbon, St. Pol and merged with the university in Valence 1565. The people of Grenoble tried unsuccessfully to rebuild the university several times in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Napoleon I restored the faculties of law, letters, and science in 1805-1808. During the Bourbon Restoration, the Faculty of Philology was suppressed in 1815 (restored in 1847) and the Faculty of Law in 1818 (again 1824). The School of Pharmacy and Medicine was established in 1866 and became the fourth faculty in 1894. However, at that time the school had only a few students and awarded only a handful of degrees. The development of science at the university was created following the transformation of Grenoble from an isolated mountain town into a major supplier of industrial engines and electrical equipment in the 1880s. The faculties were officially opened at the University of Grenoble 1879 in the newly built Place de Verdun. The number of students grew from approximately 340 in 1868 to 3,000 in 1930. The concept of a public scientific character, cultural and professional (EPCSP) evolved under the Minister of Education Edgar Faure. As a result, the university was divided into several independent organizations in 1970.