The French 'Grandes Écoles' http://www.paristech.org/anglais/ge.html

I.

The higher education system in France

The higher education system in France comprises: • the universities Universities accept all students who have successfully completed their secondary education ('Baccalauréat' exam or foreign equivalent) and offer them undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programmes at various levels (2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 years of higher education) • other institutions called the 'Grandes Écoles' The Grandes Écoles are the main channel for education in Engineering, Management and certain scientific fields such as Veterinary science. They only offer graduate programmes and combined undergraduate-graduate programmes (5 years of higher education). They recruit students in a very selective manner at a national level. Doctoral studies are also offered by some Grandes Écoles.

II.

Origin of the 'Grandes Écoles'

In the 18th century, when new technologies appeared, the royal power felt there was a need for a corps of government engineers, either military or civilian. Specialised educational institutions were founded outside the university system ; this was due in part to a lack of interest on the side of university circles for such practice-oriented educational goals. Throughout the 19th century, industrial development prompted the creation of other 'Grandes Écoles' providing a more and more diversified engineering education. The earliest institutes opened their doors to private students in addition to civil servants. The first Grandes Écoles of Management appeared at the end of the 19th and the early 20th century. Nowadays, the vast majority of chief executives in major French companies are graduates from the Grandes Écoles, and a large proportion of them are engineers.

III.

The Engineering Degree in France

The 'diplôme d'ingénieur' is awarded after 5 years of study, following the obtaining of the 'baccalauréat' (secondary school diploma). The Engineering Degree is therefore comparable in educational advancement to a Master of Science, although it is frequently broader in scope. The degree is accredited by the 'Commission du Titre d'lngénieur', created by the French Governement in 1934.

IV.

Main features of the engineering 'Grandes Écoles'

Although they have a wide autonomy, and cover a widespread field, the Grandes Ecoles all share a common educational system. These similarities can be summarized as follows: • small size A 'Grande École' is usually of the size of a university department, with at most 300 graduates per year. Only a few Grandes Écoles or groups of Grandes Écoles (such as the Instituts Nationaux Polytechniques), with over 1000 students per year, are comparable in size to a French university; • a highly selective admission process Students are admitted through a nationwide examination or by virtue of excellent academic records. This may explain why there is a nationwide consensus about the fact that the Grandes Écoles are the institutions where the country's technical and managerial elite is trained. This system also gives rise to a fairly stable hierarchy among them. Some statistics Out of the 800,000 people born in a given year, about 480,000 pass the Baccalauréat, the French secondary school final examination. About 120,000 students, including those with the best academic records, choose the scientific option 'Baccalauréat S'. Those with very good academic records can be admitted to a 'Classe Préparatoire' (special preparatory studies for the competitive entrance examinations of the Grandes Écoles). Nearly 13,000 students take these examinations each year (in engineering only). The ParisTech institutes recruit their first year students among the 2,000 top-ranking candidates. The Grandes Écoles usually complete their enrollment at 2nd year level, although in a comparably selective way, by admitting students holding university degrees (Maîtrise, comparable to a B. Sc). Some institutes are entitled to provide specialized education to graduates of the École Polytechnique, the most prestigious among the Grandes Écoles. • an unwritten hierarchy The Grandes Écoles have always been very competitive among themselves. The resulting hierarchy is fairly stable because of the competitive admission system, where the most prestigious institutions attract the best students, who often reach the highest positions in their later careers. • long studies 5 years of higher education, which typically include: − 'Preparatory Classes' (Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles), a specific two-year undergraduate programme where students are given a strong fundamental background with an emphasis on mathematics and physics. This programme is offered by certain 'lycées' (grammar schools) having a higher education department. Students then take a certain number of national competitive examinations which can give them admission to one or more of the Grandes Écoles of their choice. The competition being tough, about half of the

students take the exams two years in a row and therefore spend three years in the Preparatory Classes. − three years are then spent at the Grande École. Students graduate with the 'Diplôme d'Ingénieur' degree. No intermediary degree such as a B. Sc. is usually awarded. Some Grandes Écoles offer a comprehensive curriculum covering the whole 5 years of higher education up to the engineering degree.

V.

Content of studies

The content of studies at the Grandes Écoles can be described broadly as follows: • • • •

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a strong emphasis on fundamental knowledge in the core disciplines, broad-based studies with a multidisciplinary approach and the acquisition of working methods and tools, which all will enable the future engineer to master technological changes, courses on managerial subjects are provided, in addition to scientific and technical education, mobility and diverse background of the teaching staff: beside permanent faculty members, guest and visiting lecturers, coming mainly from industry, guarantee the efficiency of training and an awareness of the professional world of engineering ; integrated and flexible pedagogical methods: based on lectures but also on group work, case studies, individual or team projects, etc. Thanks to their limited numbers, students receive more individual counselling than their university counterparts. traditional close ties with industry and freely negotiated contracts with private and public companies enabling co-operation: − during the training programmes (visiting lecturers), − in the definition of the goals and desirable skills for future engineers (participation in advisory committees for shaping the curricula), − in receiving the students for various internships, − in research contracts and technology transfer. European and international focus through: − a strong emphasis on foreign language studies and the knowledge of foreign cultures (at least 2 foreign languages are usually required and taught), − studies and internships abroad, extensive one-year studies at a foreign university integrated into the curriculum of the home institution, − setting up European and intemational networks, allowing the exchange of students and faculty members, − the development of co-operation in scientific and technological research between the French Grandes Écoles and their foreign partners.

VI.

The national organisation of the 'Grandes Écoles'

Most of the institutes belong to the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, an association dedicated to co-operation among members in such fields as international partnerships, advice to the government concerning educational matters, recognition of certain post-graduate courses run by member institutions.