The Catholic University of Lyon (Université Catholique de Lyon), also known as the Catholic Institute of Lyon (Institut catholique de Lyon), is a private university based in Lyon, France. The Catholic University of Lyon has stood at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône Rivers in the center of Lyon since its founding. Its creation in 1875 was initiated by lay Catholics following passage of a law on the freedom of higher education. Inaugural classes began in 1877. Since 2005, the Catholic University of Lyon has been located on two campuses that are close to each other in the center city: The Bellecour Campus houses the Faculties of Theology, Philosophy, Language and Literature and Science, together with the rectorate, the university administration, central university services, the Department of Humanities and the 'Lyon Polytechnic Institute'. The Carnot Campus houses all the Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Science, including ESDES business School, and the ESTRI School of Translation and international relations. The library belongs to the SUDOC network ('Service Universitaire de Documentation') which interconnects with some 3,000 libraries elsewhere in France.