In France, communities of universities and etablishments (“communautés d’universités et d’établissements” : ComUE) are institutionalized groups of Higher Education and Research institutions. ComUE is a status created in 2013. Its predecessors were “Research and Higher Education clusters” (“Pôles de recherche et d’enseignement supérieur ” : PRES). Legally speaking, ComUE have the status of public institutions with a scientific, cultural and professional nature (EPSCP).

Missions of a ComUE

ComUEs’ missions vary. They are transferred to them by their member institutions and defined in their respective statuses.

• Some ComUE are in charge of the accreditation of doctorates, and some even of M.A. and B.A. degrees.
• Most of them have a pole which supports innovation and entrepreneurship, specially dedicated to students : PEPITE, Pôles Etudiants Pour l’Innovation, le Transfert et l’Entrepreneuriat, (“Student Poles for Innovation, Transfer and Entrepreneurship”).
• Others launch and finance research programs and establish new support structures to better respond to European calls for projects.

In central Paris, there are 3 ComUE:

• Sorbonne Paris Cité (USPC)
• Université de recherche Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University
• heSam Université (hautes études Sorbonne arts et métiers)

In Ile-de-France region there are four more:

• Université Paris Est
• Université Paris Lumières
• Université Paris-Saclay
• Université Paris Seine

Most prominent Ile-de-France research institutions are members of one of these ComUE.