A look back at the University's 2025 formal opening ceremony

The day began with the inauguration of the Rempart building, the new cornerstone of the university's heritage, followed by the formal opening ceremony at 5.30 pm on the Arsenal campus. This annual event celebrated the excellence that has driven Toulouse Capitole University for eight centuries, through four major themes:
 

• Towards 800 years of excellence in the service of society,
• The excellence of partnerships at UT Capitole,
• The excellence of the university's alumni and leading figures,
• Excellence in higher education, research and professional integration.

The ceremony, introduced by the Toulouse Student Symphony Orchestra (OSET) and followed by speeches from Hugues Kenfack, President of the university, François Hollande, former President of the Republic, and Georges Patient, Senator for French Guiana, served as a reminder that Toulouse Capitole University, as an Experimental Public Institution, continues to look to the future, while honouring its unique heritage.
   

Hugues Kenfack, President of UT Capitole, pointed out that our university, founded in 1229, will soon celebrate 800 years of excellence in serving society. Deeply rooted in its region and open to the world (as a member of the Engage EU alliance), it relies on agile governance, a commitment to excellence (ranked 16th in the Shanghai ranking for economics) and a robust economic model, enabling it to remain autonomous. The President also highlighted its strong social mission and its leading role in promoting equality, for example through its involvement in the Cordées de la réussite networks. This ‘extra soul’ is what makes our institution so strong.

After welcoming François Hollande and paying tribute to Gaston Monnerville, alumnus and great statesman, and his predecessor Bernard Belloc, both symbols of republican values, Hugues Kenfack invited the audience to imagine themselves in the shoes of both the founders and their successors 800 years from now, emphasising the continuity between past, present and future.

For 800 years, our university has been a centre of excellence, serving society. You can trust it..
Hugues Kenfack, President of UT Capitole

The inauguration of the Rempart building and the renaming of Rue de la Cité Administrative to Rue de l'Université physically mark these 800 years of history. The university is thus positioning itself as a bulwark against racism and anti-Semitism. "Believe in your dreams and they may come true; believe in yourself and they will surely come true", concluded the President, quoting Martin Luther King.

During his speech, François Hollande emphasised the importance of universities as places for sharing knowledge, science and commitment, and insisted on the need to produce high-quality knowledge that is accessible to all and capable of reaching a national and global audience. In his view, excellence is not limited to results, but also includes research, student support and the capacity for innovation. Excellence also means embracing competition, without copying other models, but by drawing on one's own values and references.

The former President of the Republic also mentioned the inauguration of the Rempart building. It is not a question of erecting walls, but rather ‘dykes’ that break down barriers, symbolising trust in science, reason and the law. This place embodies openness and welcomes students from far and wide, promoting cultural and academic exchanges.

After calling for an open, ambitious and committed university, François Hollande ended his speech with a reference to UT Capitole's status as an experimental public institution: "For me, you are already a great institution".

On the occasion of the formal start of the academic year, President Hugues Kenfack presented the Academic Palms to:

Other teaching and research staff were also honoured throughout the ceremony:
 

The event was also an opportunity to honour several of our alumni and listen to their valuable testimonials:
 

Finally, emphasis was placed on the importance of partnerships, through the testimony of Síofra O'Leary, patron of the 2025-2026 class of the European School of Law in Toulouse and former president of the European Court of Human Rights.