The University of Picardy Jules Verne (UPJV) is a public university primarily based in Amiens, North France, but with several other campuses in the Picardy region. UPJV has around 30,000 students enrolled.
The university began life in the 1960s after several schools governed by the Lille Academy came together to create one institution. The University of Picardy was officially decreed as a university in 1970.
In 1991, UPJV added Jules Verne to its name in honour of the famous author of Around the World in 80 Days and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Verne spent many years in Amiens, serving on the city council, and died there in 1905.
UPJV¡¯s courses are divided into four areas: art, literature and language; law, economics and management; humanities and social sciences, as well as sciences, technology and healthcare.
In August 2018, UPJV will open the doors to a new €118 million campus, which is located in a renovated 17th century Citadel in Amiens city centre. It is intended to cater to 5,000 students.
The population of Amiens is just over 130,000, which means that students are well represented in the city. Visitors to Amiens often seek out the Gothic cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 13th century, it is both the largest cathedral and largest medieval building in France.
Amiens is also nearby to where the Battles of the Somme took place in 1916. Over a million soldiers were injured or killed during these conflicts between Germany and the combined armies of Britain and France. A trip 20 miles north of Amiens will take you to the Thiepval memorial, which commemorates those who died.
