The label was awarded at the 2023 edition of the world's leading civil nuclear trade fair, the WNE. The I2EN (Institut International de l'Énergie Nucléaire) committee that met to evaluate the course was made up of French and foreign experts from industry and academia, chosen for their scientific and technical skills. Following this evaluation, they proposed that the "Nuclear Plant Design" course be awarded the I2EN label, a choice validated by the French High Commissioner for Atomic Energy, who is the final decision-maker. The label is awarded for a period of 5 years.
The "Nuclear Energy" master's degree, of which the "Nuclear Plant Design" course is a part, is sponsored by Université Paris-Saclay and co-accredited by Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) and École des Ponts ParisTech. It is co-directed by Anne-Lise Gloanec, teacher-researcher ENSTA Paris / Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Gaël Sattonay, professor Université Paris Saclay/ Faculté des sciences d'Orsay, and Lionel Bion, professor, Université Paris Saclay/ INSTN.
With steady year-on-year growth in enrolment, this master's degree also attracts continuing education professionals, a clear sign of its recognition by industry.
The award of this label augurs well for the "Nuclear" course that ENSTA Paris will be opening at the start of the 2024 academic year, with a particular focus on future nuclear reactors and naval propulsion.