Collège de France

   An establishment of higher education, located in Paris, near the sorbonne, the Collège de France was founded by francis i in 1530 at the request of Guillaume budé as the Collège des trois langues (Latin, Greek, Hebrew). It then became the Collège royal de France, and then the Collège de France during the Restoration. In 1852, it was placed under the Ministry of Public Instruction (today, National Education), while remaining administratively independent of the university of Paris. Endowed presently with 52 chairs (including a European chair created in 1989), the Collège de France offers free teaching that is considered universal and does not grant diplomas. The professors, who are appointed by the government, plan the curriculum. Research laboratories are attached to the teaching units. The buildings that house the college were built under louis XIV (1610) by jean-françois chalgrin and were notably enlarged after 1930.