Family donates Professor François Crouzet’s entire personal collection of books
Housing the largest French library in the UAE, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi enhanced its extensive collection with a generous donation of books belonging to the eminent French historian, Professor François Crouzet (1920-2010). In a ceremony, the late Professor Crouzet’s family members officially donated his entire collection of books and history volumes to the university’s state-of-the-art library to uphold the French education excellence in the emirate. The ceremony’s attendance was enhanced with the presence of HE Dr Mugheer Khamis Al-Khaili, Director General of Abu Dhabi Education Council and board member at Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and HE Alain Azouaou French ambassador to the UAE.
The donation is an impressive collection of 4,000 books accumulated by Crouzet over the years. Professor Crouzet was a professor at Paris-Sorbonne IV specialized in history of economics and finance but also of Great Britain, and he cultivated a notable reputation as a dedicated historian. An anglophile, his first significant work was a doctorate on the economic impact of the Napoleonic blockade of Britain in the early 19th century, published in 1958. Following this, he published several more books featuring the history of Britain, France as well as comparative global history. In addition to the books, Crouzet’s diplomas and certificates will also be showcased in the library.
Prof. Dr. Jean Yves de Cara, Executive Director of Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi said, “Professor François Crouzet is a prominent historian and we are immensely honoured by this valuable donation that enriches our library. French education is an integral part of the Abu Dhabi’s vision to create a knowledge-based economy and studying at Sorbonne-Abu Dhabi is a valid option for students who intend on pursuing their bachelors and masters degrees. These volumes will inevitably play an important role in stimulating the minds of our future leaders particularly in the fields of economics and finance.”
His son, Prof. Denis Crouzet, from Paris-Sorbonne said, “We are heartened by the presence of a prestigious French university in this region and our decision to donate to Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is because we are great supporters of this project and the value of a French education. We hope these books will serve to inspire interested students and prospective historians.”
A beacon of excellence in French education, Paris-Sorbonne has emerged as one of the best universities in humanities by exclusively focusing on specific areas like social sciences, humanities, economics and business, and history of art. The university’s state-of-the-art library has an enviable collection of 90,000 books which includes 60,000 e-books, thousands of online journals, 350 academic journals and significant databases like Factiva that are significant for economics and business. The library also has private study rooms solely designed for groups or individuals. These aspects represent high standards of assets being developed in the UAE with the emirate of Abu Dhabi heavily investing in outstanding academic resources.
