The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) is a public university based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is a French-language university and is the largest constituent element of the Université du Québec system. UQAM was founded on April 9, 1969 by the government of Quebec, through the merger of the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, a fine arts school; the Collège Sainte-Marie, a classical college; and a number of smaller schools.