The University of Paris VIII is a public university in Paris. Once part of the federal University of Paris system, it is now an autonomous public institution and is part of the Université Paris Lumières. Paris VIII University is one of the thirteen successors of the world’s second oldest academic institution. Founded in 1969, the new experimental institution was named Centre Universitaire Expérimental de Vincennes(CUEV) in Vincennes. In 1971, it gained full university status, thus allowing it to award its own degrees, and renamed “Université Paris VIII”.

The university offers over a hundred undergraduate, graduate and diploma courses. It’s exceptionally well-connected and enjoys over 250 partnerships with universities around the world. They include the UC Berkeley, the Beijing Film Academy, Boston University, the Free University of Berlin, the Humboldt University of Berlin, the University of Vienna as well as since 2016 the University of Rojava.

Paris VIII University students are encouraged to spend one or two semesters at a neighboring institution in the US, Canada, Latin America, Asia or Europe in order to develop their language skills and cultural understanding. Alternatively, students also have the possibility to teach French in a high school abroad or to complete an internship.