Aix-Marseille University is a public, research-intensive, cultural and professional institution located in the south of France. The merger of the three previous universities of Aix-Marseille was completed on January 1st, 2012. It is now the largest French university with 130 recognized research units linked with major research organizations and 19 faculties and schools. (117 research units and 13 federatives structures that conduct joint research with CNRS, INSERM, IRD, INRA, CEA et l’IFSTTAR). The main research subjects are Mathematics and its interactions, Ecological and agricultural sciences, Physics, Earth and universe sciences, Chemistry, Biology, medicine, Human sciences, humanities, Social sciences, Engineering, Information and communication. Aix-Marseille University contributes extensively to the knowledge-based economy and the dissemination of knowledge. The research policy in collaboration with leading national research organizations, affirms a strong ambition to improve research in the Aix-Marseille area. AMU aims to encourage innovation and risk taking in basic and applied research. A major challenge is to facilitate interaction and exchange between disciplines, essential to progress in research and to put at the service of research the means necessary to place the potential of the university at the highest national and international levels. Therefore the University has established an Institute for Advanced Study (IMéRA), open to researchers of all disciplines from around the world. In 2017, Aix-Marseille University gathers almost 78.000 students including more than 10.000 international students from 128 different countries and 4000 PhD students in 12 doctoral schools. The University with its wide range of general and vocational courses including over 590 degree courses offers education and training in all disciplines (19 faculties and school) : Arts, literature, languages and social sciences, Economics and management, Law and politics, Health, medical sciences, Science and technology. With more than 500 international agreements the University participates in the creation of European area of education and research and in the development of mobility. AMU is actively involved in many networks and consortia (407 Erasmus partners, 298 International cooperation agreements, 88 Degrees with international partnerships, 10 Erasmus Mundus programs, 360 Joint PhDs with 74 countries). Aix-Marseille University is the coordinator of A*Midex, which is one of the 8 French Excellence Initiatives (whose goal is to develop excellence of the French leaders in research and higher education) selected by an international jury on the basis of their potential and strategy, in the framework of the “Investments for the Future” program launched by the French government in 2012. An ambition is an empowerment tool for Aix-Marseille University to boost its excellence and implement a relevant interdisciplinary strategy to take up local and global scientific challenges.