Tag archive for: 800 years
The 800th-anniversary student cap, donated by the medical students, will be displayed in the lobby of the Arnaud de Villeneuve Health Campus. The unveiling ceremony will take place on November 6, 2023. This intangible cultural heritage is being passed down; student tradition has never been more alive than at the world’s oldest medical school still in operation.
As the final official event marking the Faculty’s 800th anniversary, the Symposium of the Montpellier Academy of Sciences and Letters will focus on the theme “Medicine and Humanism.” This article provides the program for this event, which is open to everyone upon presentation of a health pass.
Practical Information
The conference is free and open to the public. Admission is free, subject to availability. It will be held in the Rabelais Room at 27 Boulevard Sarrail in Montpellier (Tram 1-2, Comédie stop).
Conference Program
The Montpellier Academy of Sciences and Letters is hosting a two-day symposium on the theme “Medicine and Humanism,” exploring the topic from multiple perspectives: historical, ethical, social, and environmental.
As part of the 800th anniversary celebrations of the Faculty of Medicine, in partnership withthe National Academy of Surgery, we will host the Academy of Surgery’s annual conference at our Arnaud de Villeneuve campus.
A symposium organized to mark the 800th anniversary of the School of Medicine.
Members of the National Academy of Surgery will gather to discuss the role of robotics and AI in 21st-century surgery and to explore the future of surgical training. A tribute will be paid to François de Lapeyronie, one of the founding fathers of modern surgery and founder of the Royal Academy of Surgery.
Conference Program, October 21, 2021, at the Historic Building
Conference program, October 22, 2021, at the Arnaud de Villeneuve Campus
As part of the 800th anniversary of the Faculty of Medicine, in partnership with the Occitanie Center for Ethical Reflection and under the patronage of the National Academy of Medicine, we will host the symposium “Man and Science” at our Arnaud de Villeneuve campus.
A symposium organized to mark the 800th anniversary of the School of Medicine.
Healthcare is evolving, and ethical and societal questions are emerging.
Topics such as the ethical challenges of predictive biotechnology, innovation in the context of a health crisis, and ethical guidelines for innovation in neuroscience will be addressed at this conference, organized in partnership with the Occitanie Regional Ethics Center.
Open to everyone (free registration required), this event will welcome members of the Academy of Sciences as well as the National Academy of Medicine, which is sponsoring the event.
Conference Program, October 7, 2021, on the ADV campus
You probably already know this: the Jardin des Plantes is a unique place in Montpellier to relax. But did you know it’s also a place for discovery and learning? The gardeners and botanists take this role to heart and organize numerous events throughout the year to help you experience it from this perspective. This is particularly true right now with“Summer Tours.”Finally, the Jardin des Plantes serves an educational purpose year-round—a mission that is gaining momentum, reconnecting with its roots (the teaching of botany) while embracing modern objectives and utilizing today’s tools. To reinforce this educational aspect, one of them, Denis Nespoulous, has created connected trails to let you discover the garden as you’ve never seen it before!
The origins of the interconnected paths at the Jardin des Plantes
The trail known as “SMART BOTA” was created in 2018 for the Tela Botanica association’s introductory MOOC on botany.
This association, founded in 1999 and comprising a broad network of French-speaking botanists, aims to:
- to promote the exchange of information among botanists,
- facilitate projects using digital tools,
- produce copyright-free data on flora,
- raise awareness and provide training in botany.
What exactly are connected trails?
The connected trails consist of information sheets available to everyone and distributed along several routes. They can be accessed via a QR code using a smartphone or tablet. These sheets allow you to explore the garden’s treasures at your own pace. The four different routes are displayed at the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes: simply follow the guide, or, if you prefer, wander freely through the paths.
These botanical fact sheets provide a variety of information about the plant you scan, such as a description, its uses, and its habitat. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn more about the flora around us!
The garden's five interconnected paths
For now, there are five connected trails within the Jardin des Plantes. These may change over time thanks to your input.
The SMART’BOTA Trail
The second connected trail at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier, and the first educational trail, it was created in 2018 for Tela Botanica’s introductory MOOC on botany of which Denis serves as the lead. The course aims to introduce enthusiasts to botany. It features around sixty species and introduces you to the main plant families.
The SMART’PHARMA Trail
Extension of the first "SMART’BOTA" trail; this trail was created for students at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Montpellier. Indeed, a multitude of plants can be used for therapeutic and medicinal purposes. This trail allows students students to combine the theoretical aspects of their courses with practical ones by directly observing the plants within the Garden. This educational trail is also open to the public. It features approximately sixty plant species.
The Remarkable Trees Trail
This trail, created in 2014, is the oldest trail in the Jardin des Plantes. It allows you to discover all the secrets of the Jardin des Plantes’s giant trees. It is also the only trail that can be explored without your smartphone, as it features reading panels, but feel free to scan the QR codes embedded in the panels to unlock all the secrets of botany! This interactive trail features 25 tree species selected from among the most remarkable and oldest in the garden.
The HERBES FOLLES Trail
This trail, created for Tela Botanica’s “Herbes Folles” MOOC (the second edition is scheduled for this fall!), aims to help you rediscover these plants that are pejoratively referred to as “weeds.” They, too, have their virtues, and beyond their drawbacks—which we won’t deny—they also play an important role in our environment. The wild herbs of the garden invite you to reflect on issues of biodiversity. This tour will allow you to see these “weeds” in a new light…
The " Observatory of the Seasons" Trail
The last trail is somewhat unique, as it is part of a citizen science. Get involved in this CNRS program by observing the 12 species along the trail. Its goal is also to raise awareness about global warming by introducing us to phenology (the observation of periodic events, in this case involving plants). At the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, you can request a specially designed form to record your observations. This data will help scientists better understand and monitor climate change and its associated challenges.
And for those who are curious, check out the app
If you’d like to explore Montpellier’s Jardin des Plantes further using digital tools, you can download the SMART’ FLORE app on all your Android devices. The app offers:
- Trails near you
- Plants tracked to the nearest meter
- Access to all the botanical profiles created as part of this collaborative project
As part of the 800th anniversary celebrations, a photography exhibition will be held from July 10 to October 10. Curated by renowned photographer CédricMATET, it will be held at the Jardin des Plantes. In 2020, this photographer also curated the exhibition “Behind the Masks,” whichfeatures200 portraits of medical personnel.
Practical Information
“People in Their Gardens”
The title of the exhibition is intrinsically linked to itscontent. In fact, for this occasion, the artist chose to work with anatomical specimens from the Faculty’s anatomy museum. To better understand his project, we interviewed the photographer.
What is your background?
I’m originally fromSète. I attended a design school in Montpellier that is now called ESMA. After that, I enrolled at the Gobelins School of Visual Arts in Paris. Later, I went back to school to earn a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development because I’m interested in cities. In the meantime, I’ve been working in art direction and design at various communications agencies.
What interests me is connecting art to the city, to maps, to cartography, and to people. In my view, an artist must be rooted in their context: urban, political, and human.
Can you tell us about the "Behind the Masks" project?
It was GéraldCHANQUES, a professor at the faculty and a doctor atSaint EloiHospital, who contacted me and proposed this project. I wanted to convey a vision ofwhat healthcare providers and their commitments can be.
How would you describe yourself?
If I had to describe myself and my work, I would talk abouttransdisciplinarity. Indeed, I am a photographer, but I am also a visual artist; I enjoy working with various materials and collaborating with people from different fields.
Can you tell us about your new exhibition, “Man in His Garden”?
It’s been a long time since I first thought of focusing on the Jardin des Plantes, but I’ve always had a real passion for the anatomy museum I visited when I was a student. Being able to discuss botany through the garden, but also the human body and research on it—I think that’s fabulous. The project was developed by the two of us, once again with ProfessorCHANQUES.
This project is interesting becauseit pushes me out of my comfort zone;I usuallytake portraits, but that’s not the case here.
Moreover, since all the rooms are designated as heritage sites, I have a special relationship with the curator. She is the third subject of this project; I can’t work without her. Usually, I direct my model,but here I can’t because of the room’s fragility; every movement must be guided by the curator.
It’sinteresting becausethe room and the garden exist independently of me.
There are three of us working on this project: Jane, who does digital art and is a videographer; Luc, who does motion design, among other things; and me, who works with visuals and handles the artistic direction for the whole project. None of us knows what the final result will be.
How did you choose the anatomical parts?
I first sought advice from ProfessorCHANQUES and the curators to find out which pieces are emblematic of the conservatory. I didn’t choose the pieces based on their aesthetic appeal, since the goal of this exhibition is to tell a story and convey meaning.
The only exception to this is a bust we found, whose identity, history, or era is unknown to anyone. I found it fragile and touching, so I decided to include it. It’s the only piece I chose based on a gut feeling.
Unfortunately, there were some pieceswe couldn’t include because they were too fragile. I was also drawn to other pieces, but they didn’t depict the human body and therefore strayed from the subject. I’ll address those later in another, more personal project.
Some pieces are also too heavy to move. However, this is part of the exhibition’s story.
For certain pieces that we couldn’t bring out to the Jardin des Plantes, we brought the Jardin to them by bringing branches and foliage.
One hundred years ago, students from the Montpellier Faculty of Medicine unveiled works of art in the Jardin des Plantes and its historic building to celebrate the faculty’s 700th anniversary. To recreate this symbolic gesture for the 800th anniversary, a student association was founded by current students in 2019.
The founding of an association
To carry out this project,the Association Carabine Montpelliéraine (ACM) and the Syndicat des Internes du Languedoc-Roussillon (SIRL) have joined forces to createthe Association for a Historic Ceremony of Montpellier Medical Students (ACHEMM). The association consists of 19 members and is chaired by Allan Guilliey, a fourth-year medical student. The association’s goal is to implement the project from concept to completion, including the search for artists who will exhibit their works at the new Arnaud de Villeneuve Campus.
An event redesigned in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Originally, this exhibition was to be launched with a gala organized by ACHEMM students. Numerous European institutions were to be invited to attend in late 2020, and the association had the opportunity to speak at the COIMBRA Group conference, initially scheduled for June 2020. Founded in 1985, this group aims to bring together and promote excellence among European universities, with a view to sustaining high standards of teaching, research, and academic mobility on an international level, while fostering unique cultural ties.
Unfortunately, due to health restrictions requiring a rethinking of the event, an exhibition opening will take place in July 2021 to showcase the students’ work.
A monumental task
To bring this project to fruition, the students in the association had to invest a great deal of their time and energy. To showcase meaningful works, the students issued a call for submissions to local artists. About twenty artists submitted their work; the students then selected thirteen of them based on which pieces seemed most artistically suited to the project.
Next, the association’s members had to approach local governments to secure funding to pay the artists. These institutions were invaluable in helping to bring this project to fruition.
Finally, a tremendous amount of organizational work has been done over the past two years to bring this exhibition to life and, through it, to highlight the history of the Faculty.
Transmission as a common thread
The theme of this exhibition is transmission. Indeed, in 2017, the 800-year-old Faculty expanded with a new, state-of-the-art campus: the Arnaud de Villeneuve Campus. The works in this exhibition bridge the gap between these two sites, combining the classical and the modern, realism and abstraction, to represent both places and, through them, both eras.
The centerpiece of this exhibition, created by Nicolas Daubanes, is a DNA molecule—a reminder that even though the Faculty is spread across different locations, all these campuses share the same DNA and are part of its history.
Artists and Their Works
Visit the exhibition
Guided tours will be offered on Saturday, July 10, and Sunday, July 11, starting at 2:00 p.m. They will be conducted in accordance with safety guidelines. Registration is required:
The association would like to thank all of its partners (the DRAC, the FRAC, the Hérault Department, the Occitanie Region, Pumkin, the CROUS, the University of Montpellier, the Montpellier Metropolitan Area, and the City of Montpellier) for their support, as well as Professor Gérald CHANQUES and the Faculty’s staff, who worked to ensure the smooth running of this project.
In 2016 and 2018, Ms. Barjon and Ms. Blanc, daughters of former Dean Gaston Giraud, bequeathed their father’s archives to the University of Montpellier. Thanks to these archives, we are now able to present an exhibition on the evolution of the Faculty’s various buildings and sites since its 700th anniversary, commemorated in 1921.
An exhibition divided into several sections
This exhibition, organized by the University of Montpellier Archives Department (Sophie Dikoff, Antoine Redouly, and Gwendoline Perrault) in collaboration with Ms. Barjon and Professor Dedet, and with the special participation of Dean Jacques Bringer, Professor Daniel Jarry, and Mr. Serge Caminade, will focus on the evolution of the various buildings and sites that make up the Faculty: the Historic Building, the Institute of Biology, the extensions in Nîmes and on the northern site of Montpellier (the UPM and the Arnaud de Villeneuve campus building), and finally the Botanical Garden.
Dive into the archives
Thanks to donations from the family of former Dean Giraud, this exhibition features a wealth of photographs. You can view photos of the old buildings and see how their architecture has evolved over time. The exhibition also showcases other documents that shed light on the buildings’ development, such as architectural plans, handwritten letters, and postcards…
A large-scale project
To mark the occasion, we spoke with Sophie Dikoff, the archivist in charge of this exhibition, to learn how it was put together.
Could you tell us about your job?
My role as an archivist at the University of Montpellier is to assist all departments in managing their archives in accordance with current legislation governing public archives. This work is carried out in collaboration with the Hérault Departmental Archives, which provides scientific and technical oversight. Archives serve to document changes—whether architectural, societal, or otherwise…
Where do the archival materials in this exhibition come from?
Most of these items come from donations made by Dean Giraud’s family. Indeed, the dean kept many documents related to his various projects, both in his capacity as dean of the Montpellier Faculty of Medicine and in his personal capacity, as someone with a passion for the history of medicine and the Montpellier Faculty. The remaining archives come from the University’s iconographic collection, the University’s photo library, and that of the Conference of University Presidents, which have been supplemented by photographs taken for the exhibition.
How long did it take you to prepare this exhibition?
The exhibition was originally scheduled to take place in October 2020, but due to health restrictions, we had to postpone it. So I’ve been working on this project since around the beginning of 2020. The process is very long, as it first requires conducting research to understand the various aspects of the subject (searching archives, reading, meeting with subject matter experts), selecting the most interesting documents, obtaining permissions to use photos in accordance with copyright laws, writing texts, and determining a visitor route. For the exhibition design, we hired a professional scenographer, André Dumonnet. For this exhibition, the approach was to organize the presentation by building and then in chronological order. A panel displays a timeline covering all buildings and sites.
An exhibition open to everyone
The exhibition, which will run from June 18, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. to July 21, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., is free of charge. Self-guided tours will be available Wednesday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with guided tours available Saturdays from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The celebration of our Faculty’s 800th anniversary continues with a new, fun-filled event! Join the team at the Manoir du Crime on Saturday, June 5, and Sunday, June 6, for unforgettable evenings full of thrills…
A full-scale investigation
This historic building will be the setting for a live-action game. Fans of Cluedo and crime dramas, put on your best detective outfit to solve the mysteries of theTroupe du Manoir!
The year is 1806. Gabriel Prunelle is traveling the roads of the Empire, gathering a large collection of books to build a one-of-a-kind library.
But meanwhile, in Montpellier, something sinister is brewing at the university. One of the books acquired by Mr. Prunelle is at the center of a macabre discovery.
Will you be able to uncover the truth behind the story?
This "Soirée du Crime" marks the return of the Manoir du Crime Association after several months of anticipation.
And the Manoir Troupe is celebrating its return in partnership with the University of Montpellier and the Faculty of Medicine.
To mark the faculty’s 800th anniversary, we once again have the pleasure of welcoming you to the prestigious setting of the anatomy amphitheater in the historic building located across from the Jardin des Plantes.
An event held in compliance with safety guidelines
We want to ensure you have a wonderful evening in an incredible setting while adhering to health guidelines. Here are the rules to follow:
– Masks are required for everyone, including members of the Troupe.
– Hand sanitizer will be available. Please feel free to use it.
– Teams of 6 players will be formed to comply with the current “Rule of 6.”
– Teams will be spread out throughout the auditorium to ensure social distancing.
– The evening’s “assistants” (members of the Troupe du Manoir) will wear gloves when handing out event materials.
– Part of the evening will take place outdoors, in the main courtyard.
An event requiring registration
Two sessions are available:
- Saturday June 5, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday June 6, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Flat rate: €20
