École d'ingénieurs généralistes
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The international offer
The international opening of engineering students is vital in ESIGELEC’s teaching.
During the period of study at ESIGELEC, a stay abroad of a minimum of 3 months is required for all students of French nationality. Several different possibilities are offered either in one of the 90 university partners in 40 countries: summer school, semester or year of study, double degree curriculum, or in a company abroad: internship, VIE (Voluntary Work in Industry), break year, job.
Foreign students are also able to perform a stay abroad.
English is mandatory and a minimum score of 750 points in TOEIC (test of English for international communication) is required. During the international preparatory cycle, a second language is also compulsory. During the engineering cycle, it is highly recommended: Spanish, German, Japanese and Chinese are proposed to the students.
Throughout their engineering cycle at ESIGELEC, the students are immersed in an international context: most of majors are bilingual English/French and professors who taught in English are from our university partners abroad. The student population includes 34% of foreign trainees from 35 countries. A student association “Bureau de l’International” hosts international students.
Bilingual teaching
Most of majors are bilingual English/French : 30% of the courses are taught in English. Moreover, a major called ISE (engineering of embedded systems) is entirely taught in English. The courses are taught by English speaking professors coming from our university partners (United-States, England, Spain, China, India…). 30% of the teaching in some majors is bilingual, the courses being taught by lecturers from our partner universities (China, England, India, Ireland, Spain, USA…). 7 majors are concerned :
* Electronic systems of telecommunications, ISET
* Networks architecture and systems, ASR
* Engineering of embedded systems, ISE (bilingual or entirely in English)
* Information systems of engineering, GSI
* Electrical engineering and transports, GET
* Automation and industrial robotics, ARI
* Communications, ICOM
* Mechatronics and electrical engineering, MCTGE
Curriculum study abroad
Part of the engineering cycle may be at a university partner as part of an exchange program. In this case, ESIGELEC’s engineering students are treated the same way as local students. They have access to the same facilities and are subject to the same rules, including the evaluation criteria. However, they pay no fees at the host university. At the end of their stay, credits earned at the host university are transferred to the ESIGELEC and allows to valid a part of the schooling at ESIGELEC.
When the university partner is located in Europe, the exchange program is made within the framework of the European program Erasmus. Since 1987, the year of its launch, this programme has helped more than 2 million young Europeans to participate in exchange programmes between universities in Europe. More information on Erasmus programmes : http://www.europe-education-formation.fr/erasmus.php
Semester of study
The School’s students may spend a complete semester of study (mid-September to mid-February) abroad at the beginning of the second year of the engineering degree course. The studies will be equivalent to those undertaken by students still studying at ESIGELEC. On their return, the students rejoin the standard degree course and have the opportunity of priority in choosing their specialisation for the completion of their studies.
3 locations are currently available to interested students :
| Germany | Mannheim | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Aahrus | |
| Spain | Madrid |
A complete year of study
Some of the School’s students have the opportunity of spending a complete year of study during their 3rd year of the engineering degree course at a university partner in Canada, Finland or Mexico.
| Canada | Montréal | |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | ||
| Finland | Turku | |
| Mexico | Etat de Mexico |
Double degree curriculum
The most successful form of a stay abroad is the double degree curriculum that allows the best students of ESIGELEC to obtain two degrees: the engineer’s diploma of ESIGELEC and the Master's degree from the host University.
NB: Some double degree curricula are not exchange programmes and therefore the students have to pay tuition fees at the host university. A system of financial aids has been set up to facilitate the departure abroad: financial aid of ESIGELEC grants from the public local bodies (region), etc. Plus d'informations sur les aides financières
The university partners are :
| United States | Bethlehem (Etat de Pennsylvanie) | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | ||
| Pittsburg | ||
| Germany | Mannheim | |
| Irland | Dublin | |
| United Kingdom | Lancaster | |
| Cranfield | Cranfield University |
|
| Canada | Chicoutimi |
Summer schools
During one month in summer, 1st year students have the opportunity to go to Mexico or to Russia in order to attend a short programme which is adapted to their profile. Summer schools combine a technical content taught in English with a cultural module, discovery of the host country, industrial/company visits and excursions.
In the United States, students follow the programme called « Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry ® » with students from 35 different countries. This summer school is not an exchange programme and consequently the students have to pay tuition fees at the host university.
The university partners are as follows :
| United States | Bethlehem (Etat de Pennsylvanie) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Etat de Mexico | Tec de Monterrey |
| Russia | Saint Pétersbourg |
Linguistic stays
A solid knowledge of English is essential and ESIGELEC requires a minimum score of 750 points in TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) to obtain the engineering degree. Also, ESIGELEC offers students of the international preparatory cycle and engineering cycle to improve their English by a linguistic stay abroad. Two destinations are offered: Ireland through partnership that the school has long date with Dublin City University, and Malta, European country that is part of the British Empire until the 1960s. This program of a duration of one month, combines English classes in the morning, relaxation and cultural activities in the afternoon.
The linguistic abroad are not exchange programs and therefore the student have to pay tuition fees at the host institution.
The university partners are :
| Irland | Dublin | |
|---|---|---|
| Malte | Msida (proche de La Valette) | University of Malta |
VIE (International Business Voluntary)
ESIGELEC has signed a partnership with CIVI (Information Centre for International Voluntary Work) and UBIFRANCE so as to promote and encourage International Business Voluntary (VIE) abroad. Each year this allows several hundred French students to go abroad to take part in courses of between 6 months and 2 years in French embassies, French companies, or subsidiaries of French companies.
Internships
At University
Each year many students of the School go to university partners of ESIGELEC, in research laboratories for a project work lasting 3 months in the second year of the engineering degree course, or lasting between 4 and 9 months at the end of the degree course.
In industry
Study periods in industry can take the form of:
- a beginner’s course of between 1 and 3.5 months during the first year of the engineering degree course.
- a technician’s course of between 2 and 3.5 months during the second year of the engineering degree course.
- or an engineer’s level course of between 4 and 9 months at the end of the degree course.
Students may find it useful to search the rapidly growing network of companies. This network comprises the companies in which ESIGELEC engineers are currently working, companies which have previously given courses to students, as well as other companies which are partners of the School.
A break year
Students also have the opportunity of a 12 month work experience course in industry of which a minimum of 8 months must be spent abroad, between the second and third year of the engineering degree course. This program is open to ten students.
Methods:
- The students going abroad have the benefit of an agreement issued by the School, and/or be under contract with the relevant company for a period of one year.
- ESIGELEC will not be involved in any way in discussions between the student and the company concerning the remuneration and the accommodation of the trainee.
- The administrative procedure will be paid for by the student and ESIGELEC.
- In order to ascertain whether the student fits the profile required by the company, an application may be examined by ESIGELEC, and then forwarded to the company, on the strict understanding that this imposes no liability whatsoever on ESIGELEC.
- A break year abroad must be approved by ESIGELEC and must be formally agreed between ESIGELEC and the organisation delivering the training.
- 8 months of the break year must be spent outside France
