University of Montpellier

University of Montpellier

University of Montpellier (université de Montpellier / UM), was created in 1808 by Napoleon. The first college to be inaugurated was the College of Science. The training offer is diversified and comprehensive as the university awards 230 different degrees, most of which can be taken through apprenticeship or as continuing education programmes. UM welcomes international students from 115 countries.

NUCLEAR TRAINING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTPELLIER

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

UM offers a vocational BS in chemistry & processes applied to the nuclear fuel cycle. This 1-year program comes after 2 years of college in chemistry. It is jointly run with CEA/INSTN  and the Marcoule Institute of Partitioning Chemistry. UM trains students to work in various industrial sectors such as the chemical, energy (nuclear and conventional), and environmental industries (treatment and confinement of industrial wastes, industrial site redevelopment).

MASTER OF SCIENCE

The master in partitioning chemistry, materials and processes is a 2-year programme jointly run with CEA/INSTN. It focuses on:

• the evolution of global needs in energy and the place for nuclear energy in an energy mix to meet these needs;
• nuclear reactors, recycling, and waste confinement processes;
• partitioning chemistry and actinide separation processes ;
• confinement materials and alteration mechanisms for the long-term storage of nuclear waste;
• the latest advances in nanostructured materials.

This unique and multidisciplinary programme provides students with unique expertise in solution chemistry, chemical analysis, and materials and process sciences. It meets the needs of many industrial sectors—even beyond nuclear energy–such as the chemical, material, environmental, pharmaceutical, and food-processing industries.
The CEA-Marcoule centre contributes actively to this master. UM belongs to the Actinet European network of excellence. This enables students to do internships in many laboratories in France and abroad. 9 to 10 months of internship are included in the program with 12 to 16 weeks in the first year, and 24 weeks in the second year.

After graduating, students can choose between completing a second master to acquire skills in a complementary field, with a diploma in industrial technological research, or start a PhD, or find a job in their field of expertise.

RESEARCH

UM conducts research in 8 scientific and technical fields:

• Biology applied to health sciences and agronomics;
• Biodiversity and ecology;
• Evolution and environment;
• Chemistry, earth, and water sciences;
• Engineering;
• Physics;
• Mathematics and computer sciences;
• Education management and science.

Montpellier University counts about 2,000 researchers and tenured professors working in 40 research units jointly run with large research organizations.