CentraleSupélec

Overview

CentraleSupélec (CS) is a research institute and an esteemed school of science and engineering. As a graduate school of Paris-Sarclay University, it is one of the top engineering schools in France and a founding member of its parent university. CS is also a part of the Top Industrial Managers for Europe Network and the Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research, which features some of the leading universities in Europe.

Formed by the merger of two schools, CS created an engineering program for all levels that combines the competencies of both institutions’ engineering courses and then developed postgraduate programs for a variety of fields. It excels in subjects like Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, and Materials Sciences.

Meanwhile, research in CS is conducted in its 18 laboratories and institutes, centering on eight fields, which include Materials Science, Applied Physics and Mathematics, Information Systems, Signal Processing, and Engineering. The school’s research is then condensed into seven areas of focus, particularly Communication Systems, Energy, Environment, Aeronautics, Enterprise Systems, Nanosciences, and Life Sciences.

With regards to facilities, CS has three campuses—located in Gif-sur-Yvette, Metz, and Rennes —and a dedicated research site. Its main campus (Paris-Saclay), located in Gif-sur-Yvette, features four main buildings that carry various learning environments with cutting edge technology. Other special features include three main libraries, student residences, a hotel, gymnasiums, an auditorium, cafeterias, a restaurant, and music rooms.

Established in 2015, CS was once two separate institutions: École Centrale Paris and École supérieure d'électricité. The former was founded on the premise of leading the emerging local industrial sector through the development of industrial science in 1829 while the latter was built to train engineers to foster the growth of the electrical industry in 1894. The two organizations entered into a strategic partnership in 1969 and then merged in 2015.

CS, as of 2020, welcomes more than 4,300 students (3,200 of which are enrolled in engineering courses), 70 teachers, 400 teacher-researchers, and around 480 non-teaching staff. It has partnered with around 140 companies for its business programs, published over 750 highly regarded publications, and produced more than 50 patents.

CS has an alumni network of more than 45,000 found in over 80 countries. Its notable alumni include Thierry Breton (politician), Jean Pisany-Ferry (economist), Thierry Poinsot (researcher), Jean-Paul George (businessman), and Eric Lavarde (computer scientist).

As an institution centered on innovation, CS looks to meet the ever-changing needs of the industrial sector and society by constantly and consistently improving its educational programs. It has also extended its transformative capabilities to other nations by launching satellite campuses in China, India, and Morocco.