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. PSL has known a significant growth in its membership, as new institutions adhered to it in the framework of scientific and academic cooperations : Curie Institute (Paris), MINES ParisTech, Paris-Dauphine University, CNSAD, Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs, École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, La Fémis, Fondation Pierre-Gilles de Gennes pour la recherche, IBPC - Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Institut Louis Bachelier, Lycée Henri-IV, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, French Institute of Health and Medical Research, French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation, Association Art et Recherche. One of the eight French "Excellence Initiative" - large scale research and higher education projects chosen by an international of experts -, PSL received government approval in July 2010 and gained a legal status as an endowment. In the long run it aims at becoming a world-class leader in education and research, building upon its excellent potential.