October 2019 THE NEWSLETTER N°5

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FEATURED ParisTech student exchanges and double degree programmes – all you need to know

CHRISTIAN LERMINIAUX President of ParisTech © Copyright AgroParisTech EDITORIAL

The summer has been a particularly busy and rewarding time for ParisTech, with teams from our schools undertaking two very encouraging fact-finding trips. The first of these was to Mexico, where our long-standing partners confirmed their desire to further develop their relationship For over ten years, the ParisTech schools have been providing their students with the with the ParisTech schools. opportunity to benefit from the wealth of disciplines on offer across the network by undertaking Secondly, in July, representatives from the ParisTech schools involved various types of academic exchange, for example a specialisation year in a different school, in the “French-African Cooperation for or a double degree programme. Engineering in Africa” (FACEA) project travelled to Nairobi in Kenya for the first time to meet university staff and French • Final year: Could you tell us a bit more about organisations and companies based Students can opt to take the final the double degree programmes? in the area. This follows the selection year of their engineering degree of the ParisTech FACEA project by in one of the other schools. As well as the exchange system, the French Ministry of Europe and • Repeat year: students can also choose to do a Foreign Affairs as part of its “Support Students who are required double degree, which means doing for the Development of French to repeat a year can do two years in one of the ParisTech Higher Education in Africa” (ADESFA) so in a different school. schools, followed by two years programme, and reflects • Substitution: in a different school. our wish to seek new partnerships Students can replace some of their in English-speaking parts of Africa, GILLES TRYSTRAM course modules with modules We have also been running master’s in particular Kenya and Ghana. General Director of AgroParisTech of equivalent credit offered exchange programmes for several As we start the new academic year, we and President of the Teaching by other schools. years, and of course there are the can also be proud of our performance Commission • Doctoral degrees: ATHENS exchanges too. The latter in the latest Shanghai Ranking, As part of the additional modules only run for a week, but every year published on 15th August, which How do the ParisTech student required for their thesis, doctoral over 2,000 ParisTech students choose once again shows that the ParisTech exchanges work? students can take classes, to complete an ATHENS class schools are thriving. Three schools teaching units or seminars in another ParisTech school or at one (AgroParisTech, ESPCI and In 2008, at the request of students, of equivalent credit in one of our partner universities in Europe. MINES ParisTech) were ranked within the schools decided to implement or more of the other schools. the top 1,000 institutions worldwide, an exchange system to allow their How many students choose and the other schools were all students to acquire new skills in an Exchanges are subject to the to do an exchange? recognised in specific subject fields. environment related to, yet different approval of the student’s home Last but not least, we are very pleased from, that of their own school. school, which ensures that the Over the past five years, around to welcome Laura Villette as our new The ParisTech schools therefore requested exchange will be of 100 students have completed ParisTech representative in China. signed a convention governing academic value to the student. an exchange programme: several types of exchange: 25 engineers, 50 engineers on double What is special about these is flexible, so students have a wide degree programmes, plus master’s programmes? variety of options to choose from. DOUBLE DEGREE students and doctoral students. The Teaching Commission is currently Each exchange is oriented around The ParisTech schools are used to PROGRAMMES looking into drafting a new exchange the specific ambitions of the student working together, which makes it easy convention, in particular to address and their desire to enrich their course to arrange exchanges and provide our rd the issue of tuition fees. of study. Each 3 year specialisation students with one-to-one support. • AgroParisTech with MINES ParisTech, ESPCI Paris, Chimie ParisTech, year at the Ecole des Ponts under me and to meet students with Arts & Métiers and, the ParisTech exchange system was different academic backgrounds ENSAE Paris just perfect. (geographers, architects After graduating from Arts & Métiers, and sociologists for example). • Arts & Métiers I decided to pursue my studies further As well as allowing me to pursue with AgroParisTech by doing an Advanced Masters my chosen specialism, I would say in Spatial Planning and Urban the experience also encouraged Development (AMUR) at the Ecole me to become more open-minded. • Chimie ParisTech des Ponts ParisTech. That means with AgroParisTech I have a dual qualification, as both What support were you given and ESPCI Paris LÉON HONG an engineer and an urban planner. as regards organising Léon Hong graduated from Arts & Following my studies, I joined the your course of study? • ESPCI Paris Métiers in 2011 and was one of the consultancy firm Urba 2000. Among with AgroParisTech, first students to complete a ParisTech other things, they’ve headed up a Arts & Métiers helped me to plan exchange, choosing to do the final number of smart mobility projects my course of study and arranged Chimie ParisTech, year of his engineering degree at the for the French Ministry of Transport. for me to do the exchange at Institut d’Optique Ecole des Ponts ParisTech. Since 2015 I’ve been working for the Ecole des Ponts. and MINES ParisTech Algoé, a management consultancy My exchange year provided a wealth Could you tell us a bit about firm specialising in urban planning of learning opportunities and the • MINES ParisTech your academic background and mobility projects. More chance to specialise in the field with AgroParisTech and your current job? specifically, my role involves working I ultimately hoped to work in. and ESPCI Paris for the Société du Grand Paris. Finally, taking the Advanced Masters After high school, I did a two-year course allowed me to further preparatory course in maths, How has the dual nature of your develop my expertise in the area. • Institut d’Optique physics and engineering science studies benefitted you? I am very grateful for the with ESPCI Paris and then joined Arts & Métiers opportunities offered to me in Cluny. Right from the start of my Arts & Métiers provided me throughout my time at ParisTech. • ENSAE Paris degree I was able to choose options with a broad base of knowledge in The two-fold nature of my studies with Télécom Paris in order to put together a coherent engineering science and helped me has opened up doors to promising course of study across the three to develop efficient working methods and exciting endeavours, such as years of the programme. My ultimate and a strong work ethic. the Grand Paris Express project – • Télécom Paris goal was to specialise in issues My year at the Ecole des Ponts currently the largest infrastructure with ENSAE Paris relating to urban planning, gave me the opportunity to focus on project in Europe! so the opportunity to do my final the subjects which really interested

THE LATEST FROM PARISTECH

COMMUNICATION DIVERSITY INSTITUT VILLEBON-

On 26th September, the Diversity Commission held its first meeting of the new academic year. One of the current focuses of the committee is gender equality, and it has therefore prepared a “kit” of actions aimed The Institut Villebon-Georges Charpak has at preventing sexual harassment. This kit identifies a new director. After ten years in the role, Visit our new site: Studywithus! We have various initiatives to be implemented, summarised Bénédicte Humbert left the institute on revised and redesigned the ParisTech portal by four key actions: listen (confidential support/ 5th July 2019. On behalf of the institute’s for international students to better match the advice services), evaluate (surveys), inform sponsors, academic staff, students and recruitment requirements of our schools. (creation of links between different individuals and alumni, the academic partners (in particular The portal focuses on our joint recruitment groups within the schools, information on applicable ParisTech, the Université Paris-Sud and campaigns in the ParisTech target regions laws) and train (conferences, flyers, etc.) It contains the Université Paris-Descartes) and the (Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia and concrete examples of actions and events which ParisTech Foundation paid a warm tribute to Russia) and it also presents all of the master’s have been organised in different schools, plus Ms Humbert and welcomed her successor, courses run by the ParisTech schools. practical information and contact details for the Lydiane Nabec, Professor of Management various partners. Science at the Université Paris-Sud. TEACHING FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL

The 2019-2020 catalogue of ParisTech “RACINE” teaching workshops is now online (in French only). The workshops are divided into three broad categories based on teaching skills – The aim of the « Urban Mining » Teaching and Representatives from AgroParisTech, Chimie designing, leading and evaluating. They cover Research Chair created in 2014 by the French ParisTech, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Institut topics which are now considered classics, such organisation “Eco-Systèmes” in partnership d’Optique and MINES ParisTech travelled as creating and using educational video clips, with the ParisTech Foundation and three of to Nairobi (Kenya) for a fact-finding mission integrating game-based learning, and motivating the schools (Arts & Métiers, Chimie ParisTech financed by the French Ministry of Europe and and engaging students. This year’s catalogue and MINES ParisTech) is to construct a true Foreign Affairs (ADESFA). They engaged in also includes a new workshop on improving and circular economy that protects both the very helpful, in-depth discussions with staff co-constructing classes via design thinking. environment and the well-being of citizens. from three colleges (science, engineering The ParisTech teaching support and innovation Given the success of the Chair, the project and agriculture) of the University of Nairobi network (RACINE) has been actively training organisers have decided to extend it for a and visited the laboratories and the Gearbox engineering lecturers and professors for ten further five years. The renewal ceremony was prototyping lab. They also met with the th years. Visit the ParisTech YouTube channel held on 4 July 2019 in the gardens of MINES State Secretary for Higher Education and to watch a video presentation of the network ParisTech following the meeting of the Chair Research, the Engineers Board of Kenya, the and for more details, concrete examples and Steering and Evaluation Committee. Ambassador of to Kenya, the French testimonials. To find out more you can also read Development Agency (AFD) and several the report (in French) published by the network for French companies (Carrefour, HMClause, the Questions of Pedagogy in Higher Education Saint-Gobain and Seureca). A promising start (QPES) conference in 2019. to future collaboration!

PORTRAIT It was after that that I moved into the world of How will you accomplish all of this? training and teaching, having been appointed Vice Director of CFFCME (Franco-Chinese trai- The position is based in Shanghai, which is where ning centre for the energy sector) at the Beijing ParisTech has its China office, and I will be working University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, with a Chinese colleague, Yuanyuan Shen, who which has three partners in France (Académie will help with the communications side of things, de Créteil, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, and also with organising joint recruitment actions. Lycée Maximilien Perret d’Alfortville). I’m very happy that my new role at ParisTech allows me How would you say ParisTech supports to remain in this sector. its schools as regards their international strategy? What does your role involve? As a group, the schools are more visible. Sha- My main objective is to develop and main- ring resources (human, financial, etc.) means tain partnerships between ParisTech and that we can undertake projects on a larger scale LAURA VILLETTE other universities and institutions – attractive and work more efficiently. Director of ParisTech China partnerships which reflect both the ambitions of our Chinese counterparts and the standards of Chinese students who come to study in France excellence which are characteristic of French do of course choose one particular school, but Laura Villette took up her position on combining our communication efforts allows us 2nd September 2019. She succeeds Sylvain schools. I also want to reinforce links not only with French companies operating in China, to target recruitment more effectively in order to Ferrari, who had completed his 5-year term find exactly the right students for each school. in the role. Based in Shanghai, Laura Villette but also with Chinese companies in order to will work across China to promote and address their specific training requirements. How is ParisTech perceived in China? develop projects organised in conjunction Another aspect of my role will involve conso- with the ParisTech schools. The Chinese students that I’ve talked to are really lidating the ParisTech network in China and pleased to have the opportunity to study in France raising its profile within local networks (trade Tell us a little about your background... and learn our language. The Grandes Écoles sys- associations, networks of Chinese graduates tem and our engineering programmes are very After graduating from Sciences-Po in Paris, I mo- returning from overseas, etc.) Last but not least, different to the courses available in China. ved to China for a year to study Mandarin at the I will be supporting the Franco-Chinese insti- Beijing Foreign Studies University. I then started up tutes (SPEIT, BUCT-Paris Curie Engineering I’m especially interested in how the ParisTech several projects in the food industry, working with School, ICARE) which act as “laboratories” for schools are perceived in China not just by Chinese Chinese partners in Inner Mongolia, after which I joint Franco-Chinese projects, and assisting students, but also by our partners and local com- settled in Beijing. Following a brief spell at Leroy the ParisTech schools in their bilateral relations panies. We will be refining the brand recognition Merlin, I worked for just over four years as Chinese with their Chinese partners. survey launched by ParisTech to address the Office Manager at the Beijing branch of Prevor, a Chinese audience more directly. The results are French company specialising in chemical safety. due to be published by the end of the year. FROM THE SCHOOLS

all – professionals in the sector who want to refresh their knowledge, students, or those who simply want to find out more. Course start date: 30th September 2019 AgroParisTech Deadline for online registration: 4th Les Disputes d’AgroParisTech is a series of November 2019 debates open to the public. Based around topical – and often controversial – issues, the debates bring together scientists, economists, politicians and individuals from cultural organisations and Ecole des Ponts ParisTech the voluntary sector. The 2019/2020 academic INTERNATIONAL Spotlight on research at the Ecole des th Contact: contact@.fr

year sees the 7 edition of the debates, the theme • Ponts ParisTech: in 2019, six of the ACTIONS of which is “Effondrement” (Breakdown). The se- school’s research projects will receive lected topic is deliberately vague in order to open funding from the French National Research up the debates to everyone within the scienti- Agency (ANR). Two of these are projects fic community of the Université Paris-Saclay. Agreements coordinated by young researchers (JCJCs) The first debate will take place on 15th October on MoU with Kazan Federal University (Russia) – Auguste Gires (HM&Co laboratory) and the Paris Claude Bernard campus of AgroParis- Virginie Ehrlacher (CERMICS laboratory). Visits Tech. The following debates will be held off-site: at th Three are Collaborative Research Projects the Cité internationale des arts on 27 November, BRAFITEC forum (Federal 5-8 June [email protected]

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(PRCs) – one at the CERMICS laboratory the CENTQUATRE on 18th December, and the University of Uberlândia, Brazil) 2019 st (led by Tony Lelièvre), and two at the ENS Paris-Saclay theatre on 31 January. st CEREA laboratory (led by Marc Bocquet, 1 Franco-Columbian Yves Roustan and Karine Sartelet). The conference on higher education, 12-14 June last project, headed up by Louis-Gaëtan research and innovation 2019 Giraudet at the CIRED laboratory is in the (Medellín, Columbia) Collaborative Research Projects Involving 24-28 June

Enterprises category (PRCE). Fact-finding trip to Mexico Hayley Leva Translation: 2019 • Fact-finding trip to Nairobi 21-28 July (Kenya) 2019 11-12 60th anniversary of Novossibirsk September State University (Russia) 2019 Chimie ParisTech 30 September

- 4 October www.cggraphicdesigner.com Recruitment, student induction, Recruitment trip to Columbia • presentation of the school: September is an 2019 genin exciting time in the academic year for new General Assembly 30 September engineering students at Chimie ParisTech. of the Magalhães Network - 1 October carole This year we have 90 students joining us – (Nantes, France) 2019 slightly more than last year’s intake of 75 MINES ParisTech students. The engineering programme at MINES ParisTech is launching the 5th session Chimie ParisTech trains future company of its “Global Energy Issues” MOOC. With directors while encouraging creativity more than 25,000 students registered and and developing students’ appetite for with high pass rates, this new course has Graphic Design: the world of business and international fulfilled a real need. The MOOC is open to opportunities.

ParisTech, the major engineering schools network

The complementary nature of the areas of excellence of the various schools provides our students, researchers and partners (academic and corporate) with an exceptional consortium that offers unique transdisciplinary opportunities. ParisTech also has strong international teaching and research links via its many partnership agreements.

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• Editor: Isabelle de Ligniville Publication Director: Christian Lerminiaux, President of ParisTech