The Université du Québec à Rimouski is a branch of the Université du Québec in Rimouski, Quebec. There is also a campus of the university in Lévis, Quebec, recently moved to a newly constructed building. Founded in 1969, UQAR is one of the most modern in Quebec. This university is well-known for its programs in marine biology and oceanography, as well as rural and social development. The majority of students are from Eastern Quebec, although there is an increasing number of international students coming mainly from African countries members of the Francophonie. On the current site of the university, the Ursulines erected in 1906 their first monastery in eastern Quebec. The building burnt down in 1937 but was rebuilt in 1938. Another major fire destroyed part of the roof of the main building in 2009. The Ursuline nuns originated from Compagnie de Saint-Ursule, founded by Angela Merici in Italy in 1535 to accommodate women wanting to serve Christ without being attracted to, or having the means to enter, monastic life. Since then, the community has grown across Europe and the world.