PSL Research University (L’université de recherche Paris Sciences et Lettres) is an Association of universities and higher education institutions (ComUE) formed from 18 institutions of higher education and research in the Paris area, and three national research organizations.It was originally formed in April 2010 as a pôle de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur (PRES) by five prominent French institutions : the École Normale Supérieure, the Collège de France, the Paris Observatory, Chimie ParisTech and ESPCI ParisTech.