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Based in the Breton port city of Brest, UBO in June 2023 declared an ambition to be known as the "Oceanic university of France". While this aspiration led to some concern that other disciplines might be downgraded, it suits the university’s location and existing profile.

Founded in 1971, UBO has a roll of around 22,000 students, about two-thirds of them undergraduates, both in Brest and at its base in Quimper.

The 14,500 undergraduates divide between the faculties of letters and human science, sports and exercise science, science and technology, medicine and health, dentistry and law, economics and management.

But UBO is best known for its European University Institute of the Sea (IUEM), founded in 1997. Partners include national science powerhouse CNRS. There are 500 university staff, 200 doctoral students and 270 master’s students. Two of the master’s subjects – marine science and marine biotechnology – are taught in English.

UBO is also one of eight partners, one from each of the participating countries, in the European University of the Sea, while the PIA IndMer project will provide 30,000 training programmes in sea-related industries over the next five years.

It was also named one of 24 University Innovation Centres by the Ministry of Higher Education for its Blue Box programme, aimed at stimulating investment and start-ups. Its Hyperion platform, shared with University Hospital Brest, aims to extend cancer research, offering an ability to analyse 40 biometers from one blood sample. And the Breton and Celtic Studies Research Centre dates to 1969.