Erasmus+ at ENSTA Paris

ENSTA Paris is an integral part of the Erasmus + programme, of which it respects the commitments, materialised in the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education.

The Erasmus+ charter

Erasmus strategy of ENSTA Paris

The international aspect is at the heart of the strategy of the School, which wishes to be known and recognised internationally, both in its higher education mission and in its scientific cooperation. To achieve these objectives, ENSTA Paris is developing strong partnerships, in particular with the Polytechnic Institute of Paris, of which it is a member, but also through strong partnerships such as TIME, IDEA and the Erasmus programme.

The international policy of ENSTA Paris

  • Allows the training of foreign engineering students, hosting 27% of foreign students spread over the three years of the engineering course, most of them being within the framework of double-degree agreements (33 double-degree agreements in 2020) signed with leading international institutions.
  • It also has the mission of increasing the number of ENSTA Paris students studying abroad. Every French student must spend at least 12 weeks abroad to validate their degree, in the form of a course or an internship. They must be proficient in English as well as in a second foreign language, from among those taught at ENSTA Paris.

Actions and resources

ENSTA Paris international approach is to build a stable network of partners, especially in Europe, with whom it seeks to develop and maintain solid, regular and reciprocal exchange links. To meet this objective, ENSTA Paris has adopted a policy based on the establishment of privileged partnerships with foreign universities par excellence chosen in countries defined as priority countries with regard to their proximity and their integration with France (European Union countries, Canada, Tunisia) or with regard to their scientific, technological and economic potential (Brazil, China, Singapore, Turkey).

The selection of target countries and partner universities is made on the basis of three criteria:

  • The quality of the country's higher education system, the excellence of the academic activities of the target university and its positioning as one of the very best institutions in science and engineering in its country;
  • The geographic priorities defined within the framework of the strategic orientations of the State of France and the European Union;
  • The economic interests of French and European businesses in the countries or regions concerned.

ENSTA Paris is currently focusing on consolidating existing partnerships, increasing and sustaining student flows, and also on developing new partnerships in countries such as South Africa, Mexico, Chile, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Institution's strategy for the organisation and implementation of European and international cooperation projects in education and training

The Erasmus programme has enabled and continues to enable ENSTA Paris to develop partnerships, exchanges of students, teachers and staff with the very best European universities in science and technology. Beyond the activities carried out as part of the Programme, the privileged relations which the Programme has made it possible to create with partner universities serve as a basis for implementing new European and international cooperation projects.

ENSTA Paris' strategy consists of relying on the network of partner institutions within the framework of the programme to build Double-Degree programmes, joint Masters programmes, and also to develop training programmes with third countries in collaboration with the partners of the programme. The themes concerned correspond to the four main areas of expertise of ENSTA Paris:

  • Transportation
  • Energy and the environment
  • Mathematical engineering and physical engineering
  • Systems engineering

Expected impact of participation in the Programme on the modernisation of the establishment

The expected impact of ENSTA Paris’s participation in the Erasmus programme can be broken down along several themes, which correspond to the 5 priorities of the higher education modernisation strategy:

  • The international mobility of ENSTA Paris students and teacher-researchers contributes to developing their openness to other European countries, their mastery of European languages and their understanding of other cultures and societies, which will constitute the basis for facilitating cross-border cooperation;
  • International mobility makes it possible to increase the qualification levels of graduates and researchers by giving them access to skills and expertise within partner universities that are complementary to those available at ENSTA Paris;
  • The setting up of partnerships with European universities, in particular the establishment of Double-Degrees or the drafting of learning agreements, allows for a very detailed comparison of academic programmes and course content with the partner institutions. The mobility of European teacher-researchers at ENSTA Paris makes it possible to enrich the offer of courses in areas in which we do not have expertise and to bring a new perspective on our teaching methods. All of this makes it possible to develop the training offer and the content of courses at ENSTA Paris and thus contribute to improving the quality and relevance of higher education in Europe;
  • The merger of international functions and business relations at ENSTA Paris is clearly in line with the prospect of fostering closer cooperation between higher education, research and businesses. French and European businesses are very interested in students who have benefited from the Erasmus programme in order to offer them the chance to contribute during their training during internships or after graduation in the business's cross-border activities;
  • The privileged relationships forged with the programme's partners and the relationship of trust that is established allow “benevolent benchmarking” and an exchange of good practices, which lead to the improvement of the governance of ENSTA Paris and of the actions carried out with businesses, the State of France and the European Union, with the aim of increasing the sources of financing of ENSTA Paris.

Contact

Maicol
VILLEGAS
Outgoing mobility manager and Erasmus+ coordinator