On 1 January 2021, École Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Saint-Étienne (ENISE) became an internal school within École Centrale de Lyon.
Together for a common goal
Toward the close of 2013, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI) conveyed a desire for ENISE to work on its future development through an amalgamation with another institute of higher education based in Lyon and Saint-Étienne. Having participated together in an Initiative of Excellence (IDEX) project, Centrale Lyon and ENISE agreed to consolidate their coalition. The two institutes constructed a collaborative project over two years based on a shared goal of increasing the quality of education and research.
Decree no. 2020-159 on the integration of ENISE into Centrale Lyon was published in the Official State Gazette on 24 February 2020, and the Ministerial Order creating the ENISE internal school within Centrale Lyon was published shortly thereafter.
A font of new collective opportunities
The basis of the merger of the two graduate schools can be seen in the complementary nature of each institute’s missions and experiences. École Centrale de Lyon obtains a larger range of possibilities in its higher education offerings across the three university cycles (undergraduate to doctorate), which are available to students and apprentices alike.
The integration combines Centrale Lyon’s historic mission to place science and technology at the service of society and ENISE’s training of specialist engineers in the fields of mechanical engineering, civil engineering and engineering physics.
Diversified education from undergraduate to doctorate
The courses offered will open up new, exciting career paths for students, whether they seek a general or specialist course. Several priorities have taken shape, which are:
- Offer an enhanced preparatory cycle leading to a certificate and further engineering studies in ENISE’s specialisations or to other degree-level training at Centrale Lyon or elsewhere.
- Establish a new selective admissions procedure, which broadens the applicant pool across all education programmes, from entry after secondary school or Grande Ecole preparatory classes to various admission channels.
- Facilitate equal opportunities and social advancement.
- Expand the specialisation courses for the engineering degree, master’s degrees and institute diplomas, based on Centrale Lyon’s areas of expertise or in partnership with other institutes in Lyon, Saint-Étienne and farther afield.
- Expand the apprentice training and continuing education according to the successful experiences in specialisation reaped by ENISE and Centrale Lyon.
- Organise the bridging of student studies and double degrees with the offers of the two institutes or with other establishments, as part of a joint policy on international partnerships.
- Increase the flow of doctoral students from all master’s and engineering programmes of the two institutes.
- Establish an ambitious student and social project to bring the students and alumni of the two campuses closer together.
- Transform the facilities of the campuses and create opportunities for students and faculty to interact.
- Ensure more effective monitoring of the professional careers of alumni.
- Develop innovative education techniques.
- Consolidate institutional quality and support regional development.
Research: potential and innovation combined
Centrale Lyon, with ENISE, intends to strengthen its scientific and technological foothold in the area of manufacturing by leveraging multi-disciplinary and specialised approaches in mechanical engineering (manufacturing, operational resilience), civil engineering (energy-efficient, intelligent, sustainable housing) and engineering physics (ergonomics, well-being, health and sensory disability). It will be able to establish and consolidate exchanges with many regional centres of excellence that specialise in textiles, biomedicine, agribusinesses, optics and imagery, water and environment, etc. A coordinated business relations policy will offer another opportunity to build partnerships with regional companies based on existing models and with larger groups operating in steelworks, aeronautics and defence and luxury goods, among other areas.
Towards a Lyon-Saint-Étienne university community
Thanks to their dual geographic presence, the two institutes will demonstrate to students of the area the need for tertiary education and research through the offer of educational programmes and the unveiling of professional prospects based locally, nationally and internationally.
The development of accessible and attractive engineering programmes is a priority. École Centrale de Lyon, with ENISE, has always sought to focus the common actions of institutes, which are based on science and aimed at business and socio-economic issues, for example:
- Development of research and innovation within joint research units established between institutes and in conjunction with national research bodies.
- Development of exemplary education programmes: innovative degrees, international master programmes, etc.
- Accessibility of teaching modules within the Collège des Hautes Études Lyon Sciences (CHEL[s]), which comprises six institutes of the COMUE Université de Lyon.
- Alliance of engineering schools of Lyon and Saint-Étienne on climate change and the energy transition.
- Prioritised partnerships with businesses, especially on important platforms (LabEx, EquipEx, research networks and institutes).
