École nationale supérieure de Techniques Avancées
Encyclopedia
The École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées (Superior National School of Advanced Techniques), also known as ENSTA, is one of the most prestigious and selective French
grande école in engineering
. It is a member of ParisTech
(Paris Institute of Technology).
It is located in Paris
, in the former premises of SUPAERO; it has an annex in Palaiseau
(48.708345°N 2.222099°W), next to École polytechnique
.
Every year about 150 engineers graduate from it.
ENSTA offers its students general engineering training with the aim of enabling them to design, produce and oversee complex industrial systems, while meeting strict economic constraints and dealing with an international environment. To do this, the School provides high-level scientific and technological training, which is frequently updated to keep pace with changes in the leading edge technologies and supplemented by language, general culture, law and economics teaching.
The teaching is given by research professors at ENSTA with the participation of numerous auxiliary teachers from the economic and industrial world familiar with the latest technical developments in a wide variety of fields.
Research, which is one of the School's primary missions, makes a dynamic contribution in both the fundamental and applied fields, to the School's pedagogical project and to meeting the needs of business. Half is the responsibility of the School's research professors, and the other half is carried out by researchers from the CNRS, the INSERM and the École polytechnique
working in ENSTA's premises.
The general nature of the training given enables ENSTA graduates to find a career in a large number of sectors such as the automotive or naval industry, networks and telecommunications, space propulsion, robotics, oceanology and the environment. Most of the ENSTA graduate engineers are much sought-after by companies and generally find their first job in R&D departments and design offices, rapidly moving towards supervisory and project management posts.
ENSTA is a public teaching and research establishment operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence
. It is headed by a general officer of the Corps of Ordnance Ingineers (DGA
). Some former graduates of École polytechnique
attend ENSTA before joining the military Corps of Ordnance Ingineers, which staffs the DGA.
, inspector general of the Navy. He had identified the need to give the Navy's master carpenters a theoretical education, particularly in mathematics and physics, which were making quick progress, so that they would have a clearer understanding of their trade.
After founding the first school in Toulon, he transferred it to Paris in 1741. This date is recognised as the origin of the institution. After undergoing 7 lean years of under-funding, he managed to persuade the duc de Choiseul
to reopen it in 1765, and continued to run the school for the rest of his life.
At the time, the institute, called School of Engineer-Constructors of Royal Vessels, was housed in the Louvre
Palace. Later on, it became known as "Ecole nationale supérieure du Génie Maritime" (National Higher College of Maritime Engineering).
In 1970, the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (Arms administration of the Ministry of Defence) merged the school with three of its other establishments:
- the École Nationale Supérieure des Poudres (Powders and explosives institute)
- the École Nationale Supérieure de l'Armement (Arms engineering institute)
- the École des Ingénieurs Hydrographes de la Marine (Hydrographic institute.
This formed the École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées (ENSTA), the role of which is to train engineers in the naval, mechanical, nuclear, chemical, electronic and related fields. The scientific skills of each of the founding institutes survives in the broad range of research disciplines covered at ENSTA, as well as in the more general nature of its teaching and the variety of specialities offered to the students.
Today, ENSTA's legal status is that of a "public administrative establishment", placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
grande école in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. It is a member of ParisTech
ParisTech
ParisTech the Paris Institute of Technology is one of the collegiate universities in France. It gathers 11 of the best French engineering schools, covering nearly the whole spectrum of engineering science, and 1 business school, aiming to be of comparable status to the most famous universities of...
(Paris Institute of Technology).
It is located in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, in the former premises of SUPAERO; it has an annex in Palaiseau
Palaiseau
Palaiseau is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Palaiseau is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Palaiseau....
(48.708345°N 2.222099°W), next to École polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
.
Every year about 150 engineers graduate from it.
ENSTA offers its students general engineering training with the aim of enabling them to design, produce and oversee complex industrial systems, while meeting strict economic constraints and dealing with an international environment. To do this, the School provides high-level scientific and technological training, which is frequently updated to keep pace with changes in the leading edge technologies and supplemented by language, general culture, law and economics teaching.
The teaching is given by research professors at ENSTA with the participation of numerous auxiliary teachers from the economic and industrial world familiar with the latest technical developments in a wide variety of fields.
Research, which is one of the School's primary missions, makes a dynamic contribution in both the fundamental and applied fields, to the School's pedagogical project and to meeting the needs of business. Half is the responsibility of the School's research professors, and the other half is carried out by researchers from the CNRS, the INSERM and the École polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
working in ENSTA's premises.
The general nature of the training given enables ENSTA graduates to find a career in a large number of sectors such as the automotive or naval industry, networks and telecommunications, space propulsion, robotics, oceanology and the environment. Most of the ENSTA graduate engineers are much sought-after by companies and generally find their first job in R&D departments and design offices, rapidly moving towards supervisory and project management posts.
ENSTA is a public teaching and research establishment operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence
Minister of Defence (France)
The Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs is the French government cabinet member charged with running the military of France....
. It is headed by a general officer of the Corps of Ordnance Ingineers (DGA
Délégation Générale pour l'Armement
The Direction générale de l’armement, which could be translated as “General Directorate for Armament”, or DGA, is the French Government Defence procurement agency responsible for the program management, development and purchase of weapon systems for the French military.-Armament programs...
). Some former graduates of École polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
attend ENSTA before joining the military Corps of Ordnance Ingineers, which staffs the DGA.
Key figures
- Training
- 135 engineering degrees awarded in 2004
- 9 “Mastère SpécialiséMastère SpécialiséThe Mastère Spécialisé, also called the Specialized Master or Advanced Master is a French post-graduate program created in 1986 by the French Conférence des Grandes Écoles....
” course degrees in information system architectures - 8 “Mastère SpécialiséMastère SpécialiséThe Mastère Spécialisé, also called the Specialized Master or Advanced Master is a French post-graduate program created in 1986 by the French Conférence des Grandes Écoles....
” course degrees in Naval Architecture
- Student numbers
- 458 students (excluding doctoral research students)
- 83 foreign students, accounting for 18% of student numbers
- Courses available
- 343 courses
- 31 law, economics, management courses
- 24 culture and communication seminars
- 9 languages taught
- The teachers
- 100 full-time research professors
- More than 650 auxiliary teachers
- International relations
- 41 exchange and partnership agreements with foreign universities
- 7 double-degree agreements
- Research
- About sixty doctoral research students in 2004
- About a hundred publications in reading committee reviews in 2004
History and traditions
Originally, the School was the brainchild of Henri-Louis Duhamel du MonceauHenri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau
Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau , was a French physician, naval engineer and botanist. As a botanist his standard abbreviation is Duhamel...
, inspector general of the Navy. He had identified the need to give the Navy's master carpenters a theoretical education, particularly in mathematics and physics, which were making quick progress, so that they would have a clearer understanding of their trade.
After founding the first school in Toulon, he transferred it to Paris in 1741. This date is recognised as the origin of the institution. After undergoing 7 lean years of under-funding, he managed to persuade the duc de Choiseul
Étienne François, duc de Choiseul
Étienne-François, comte de Stainville, duc de Choiseul was a French military officer, diplomat and statesman. Between 1758 and 1761, and 1766 and 1770, he was Foreign Minister of France and had a strong influence on France's global strategy throughout the period...
to reopen it in 1765, and continued to run the school for the rest of his life.
At the time, the institute, called School of Engineer-Constructors of Royal Vessels, was housed in the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
Palace. Later on, it became known as "Ecole nationale supérieure du Génie Maritime" (National Higher College of Maritime Engineering).
In 1970, the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (Arms administration of the Ministry of Defence) merged the school with three of its other establishments:
- the École Nationale Supérieure des Poudres (Powders and explosives institute)
- the École Nationale Supérieure de l'Armement (Arms engineering institute)
- the École des Ingénieurs Hydrographes de la Marine (Hydrographic institute.
This formed the École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées (ENSTA), the role of which is to train engineers in the naval, mechanical, nuclear, chemical, electronic and related fields. The scientific skills of each of the founding institutes survives in the broad range of research disciplines covered at ENSTA, as well as in the more general nature of its teaching and the variety of specialities offered to the students.
Today, ENSTA's legal status is that of a "public administrative establishment", placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.
Famous alumni
- Louis-Émile BertinLouis-Émile BertinLouis-Émile Bertin was a French naval engineer, one of the foremost of his time, and a proponent of the "Jeune École" philosophy of using light, but powerfully armed warships instead of large battleships.-Early life:...
- Alain BouquinAlain BouquinAlain Bouquin , was the General Commander of the French Foreign Legion from 1 July 2009 to 1 September 2011 succeeding to General Louis Pichot de Champfleury who commanded the Legion from 2006 to 2008.- Military career :...
, General Commander of the French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign LegionThe French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces... - Eugène DeloncleEugène DeloncleEugène Deloncle was a French engineer and Fascist leader, and the adoptive father of Jacques Corrèze....
- Charles DupinCharles DupinPierre Charles François Dupin was a French Catholic mathematician.He studied geometry with Monge at the École Polytechnique and then became a naval engineer. In 1819 he was appointed professor at the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers; he kept this post until 1854...
- Henri Dupuy de LômeHenri Dupuy de LômeStanislas Charles Henri Dupuy de Lôme was a French naval architect. He was the son of a naval officer and was born in Ploemeur near Lorient, Brittany, in western France. He was educated at the École Polytechnique...
- Ernest MercierErnest MercierErnest Mercier was a French industrialist, director of the French Petroleum Company , the forerunner of the French petroleum conglomerate Total...
- Édouard Jean Baptiste MilhaudÉdouard Jean Baptiste MilhaudÉdouard Jean-Baptiste Milhaud was a French politician, Général de Division, and comte d'Empire.-French Revolutionary wars:...
- Jacques-Noël SanéJacques-Noël SanéJacques-Noël Sané was a French naval engineer, one of the most successful shipbuilders of the Age of Sail.Sané studied under Duhamel du Monceau...
- Léonce VernyLéonce VernyFrançois Léonce Verny, was a French officer and naval engineer who directed the construction of the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in Japan, as well as many related modern infrastructure projects from 1865 to 1876, thus helping jump-start Japan's modernization.-Early life:Léonce Verny was born in Aubenas,...
- Paul Marie Eugène VieillePaul Marie Eugène VieillePaul Marie Eugène Vieille ,a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique, was a French chemist and the inventor of modern nitrocellulose-based smokeless gunpowder in 1884. The new smokeless powder was three times as powerful as black powder for the same weight and left virtually no residues of combustion...
External links
- http://www.ensta.fr/en/