The Ecole Centrale of Lyon is a French engineering school. It is located in the South of France, in Lyon, a city know for its great chefs. It was created in 1857, and since then it trains top level engineers, and is one of the top ten French Grandes Ecoles.

In French industry, most managers and executives are graduates from "Grandes Ecoles". More than 60% of the executives of the top 100 corporations are from these Schools. Grandes Ecoles specialized in engineering play a key role in state-of-the-art technology research and development. They have driven innovations such as the Ariane satellite launcher, Airbus, TGV (the world’s fastest high speed train), Minitel ( a pre-internet tool) and nuclear plants. Endorsed by the Ministry of Education and the Engineering Degree Commission, the "Grandes Ecoles" are known for their :

• Very selective application process, based on a competitive test taken after two or three years of advanced Mathematics and Physics in preparatory classes (CPGE).


• A teaching course of three years ( plus optional post graduate courses ).


• High quality programs including courses in new technologies and management.


• Long-lasting and close partnerships with industry: associate professors are picked among managers from the industrial world; research projects are undertaken in cooperation with businesses; ongoing relationships with industry for the organization of forums, meetings, and the sponsoring of student internships and hiring.


• Autonomy, each school develops its own program, often in cooperation with other schools.


• Small education units (300 to 1000 students) which grouped together, are similar in size to large universities in other countries.


• Multiple contacts with engineering schools all over the world.

The Ecole Centrale of Lyon is a "generalist" engineering school : this means that it provides a general engineering education skill which allows the engineer to adapt to many situations and to learn quickly. But the school is more specialized in mechanics ( Conception and Development of Industrial Products CDPI, etc). It also emphasizes on "practical" teaching : during the first and second year, the students have 8 hours a week of lab work. There is a close partnership with the industrial world : the students follow an internship in a firm of their choice after each of their three years. They also conduct some projects during their studies, working with research labs in the school or with engineers of firms. The research labs work both with the students ( post-graduate thesis, etc ) and with industry. Some labs ( CDPI, Electrotechnics ) are well-known in France and conduct projects with top level industries ( EDF, etc ). There are management courses for the students to know how to manage a firm and what are the laws to be known. Those courses are generally taught by people coming from the industry. The school provides the students with a wide choice of languages, and is considered as a top level school regarding the students level in languages. Many professors teach their mother language. One can learn many languages, ranging from English and German to Chinese and Japanese. There are six science departments in this school :

• Energetic, Acoustics and Fluid Mechanics
• Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering
• Material and Surface Engineering
• Computer Science and Technology
• Humanities
• Electricity

During the first and the second year, one studys in all those different fields, acquiring a broad knowledge that is required for a generalist engineer. Then, at the end of the second year an during all the third year, one specializes in one or more subjects, choosing the courses among a large choice.