The University of Montreal (French: Université de Montréal) is a public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1878 as a satellite campus of the Université Laval, it became an independent institution in 1919. Since its founding, the university has produced seven Nobel laureates and five Canadian prime ministers. The main campus covers more than 1.5 million square metres in the borough of Outremont, with several other facilities elsewhere in Greater Montreal.
The université du Québec network includes this institution as well as l’Université Laval and l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. It is the largest francophone university outside of France and offers instruction in both French and English. With 68,000 students enrolled in 336 programs, it also ranks first among Quebec’s universities in terms of student enrolment. It has ten faculties including two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique de Montréal (engineering) and HEC Montréal (business). It also hosts two national centres of excellence: CIRMMT and LIMSI-CNRS.
The school was founded by Papineau-Leblanc Decree on June 4th 1878, as a satellite campus for Université Laval located at Notre Dame Street West side between St Laurent Boulevard & Sherbrooke Street. The decree was approved by Pope Leo XIII on July 26th 1878,, making it the first Catholic institute of higher learning in Canada to receive papal approval.[citation needed] The school opened its doors on September 2nd 1879 to welcome 13 new students for three programs: Arts & Humanities, Law & Social Sciences, Medicine & Sciences; making it one of only four institutions to offer such a broad range of studies at that time along with McGill University, Queen’s University, and Dalhousie University; all others were limited to offering either arts or sciences.. In 1886 women were allowed for the first time into certain programmes “as auditors”, but not candidates for graduation.:26–27 On April 30th 1898 fire destroyed much of l’Institut Catholique building complex which included classrooms, offices, chapel & library; fortunately no lives were lost but many irreplaceable books & archives perished causing great consternation throughout la province de Québec .:30 Reconstruction took until 1900 when classes resumed albeit under cramped conditions due to ongoing construction work .:95 By 1919 over 1000 students were attending Institut Catholique which had outgrown its space necessitating relocation from Quartier Latin to present day Outremont where land had been purchased some years earlier .:113 On May 15th 1919 Institut Catholique was granted autonomy from Universite Laval becoming “Universite de Montreal”.:129 This important event occurred during tumultuous times which saw rising nationalism culminating eventually with separation from Canada by La Belle Province . However despite these challenges UdeM thrived producing leading lights such as Ernest Rutherford who discovered radioactivity while working here , Marie Curie who did pioneering work on radiation , Wilfrid Laurier who served four terms as Prime Minister , Lester B Pearson recipient of Nobel Peace prize , Pierre Trudeau former PM known around world simply as “Pierre” , Brian Mulroney another former PM . These are just some examples illustrating how this fine institution has helped shape history not just locally but globally over past century plus . Located centrally within one North America’s most vibrant cities UdeM benefits enormously from close proximity top cultural attractions , nightlife , shopping along with being transportation hub allowing easy access to rest country via car train or plane . Moreover its affordable tuition fees make studying here very attractive proposition especially compared expensive private universities found elsewhere continent