The Conférence des Grandes Écoles

The Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE) is a non-profit association founded in 1973. By 2010, the CGE had 291 members:

• • 222 Grandes Écoles, representing 120,000 students and 30,000 graduates per year (149 Grandes Écoles of engineering, 38 of management and 22 of other specialties, as well as 13 universities abroad);

• • 21 companies;

• • 48 organisations or institutions in higher education.

The Grandes Écoles cover several fields of study: engineering sciences and management but also the arts, military training, veterinary medicine and teacher training.

They can be state or private institutions. Public Grandes Écoles are placed (for practical, administrative and financial reasons) under the authority of different Ministries: Higher Education, Agriculture, Defence, Industry, Economy, Infrastructure and Public Works. Most management schools were created and are supervised by chambers of commerce and industry.

They award diplomas (diplôme d'ingénieur, diplôme de management) which are equivalent to a master's degree. They are all under the pedagogical authority of the Ministry of Higher Education.

The role of the CGE is:

• • to facilitate the transfer information between its members and to develop their solidarity;

• • to promote the Grande École system on both a national and an international scale;

• • to encourage innovations in engineering and management education;

• • to develop continuing education and research activities;

• • to act as a voice with governmental policy makers and the research community.

Admission to the CGE

The institutions applying for membership of the CGE must fulfil specific criteria, including:

• • graduate degrees accredited by the Ministry of Education;

• • admission through a nationwide competitive examination;

• • five years of study after the Baccalaureat (end of secondary school qualification) for a master's degree;

• • a track record of degrees having been awarded for at least three years;

• • autonomy in financial and educational matters;

• • quality of the teaching and research faculty;

• • quality of the equipment;

• • research activities;

• • international focus.

Partnerships with British Universities

Agreements

Approximately 860 agreements with British universities have been signed by Grandes Écoles, mainly for student exchange but also for cooperation in research. Of these, 170 are double or dual degree agreements.

The favourite partners of French engineering schools are:

• • University of London (32 agreements);

• • Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (27);

• • Cranfield University (25);

• • University of Southampton (23);

• • University of Bristol (22).