École Centrale de Lille

École Centrale de Lille is a renowned graduate engineering school in France. It is in a campus of the University of Lille (Northern France).

Its different curricula lead to the following French & European degrees :
 Ingénieur Centralien de Lille (Centralien Graduate engineer Masters level program)
 Masters Recherche & Doctorat (PhD doctorate studies )
 Mastères Spécialisés (MS)
 Massive Online Open Course

Academic activities and industrial applied research are performed mainly in French and English languages. Students from a dozen of nationalities participate to the different curricula at École Centrale de Lille.

Most of the 1500 graduate engineer students at École Centrale de Lille live in dedicated residential buildings nearby research labs and metro public transports on a campus that is shared with 20,000 students from Lille University of Science and Technology.

History 

École Centrale de Lille was founded as École des arts industriels et des mines de Lille in 1854, with support from scientists such as Frédéric Kuhlmann and Louis Pasteur. It succeeded to the municipal chairs of experimental physics, applied chemistry and mechanics that were established in 1817. It became a technical university in 1872 with the integration of the Institut industriel du Nord. Since mid 19th century, the Baccalauréat and completion of undergraduate studies have been a prerequisite for admission. The initial focus was on civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry and manufacturing engineering. Electrical engineering full courses were added in 1892, automobile design has been taught from 1899 onwards. More than 200 students graduated in year 1914. Aerodynamics studies started in 1930. A stress on automatic control and computers was initiated in 1957. Later came courses and research in computer science (1957), supply chain management, materials science, micro-electronics, telecommunications, nanotechnologies (1994).

Since early 20th century, student admission has been based on a competitive exam after attending a French classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles or similar undergraduate studies.

It was originally in Lille central district. It then moved in 1968 in the modern campus of Lille University of Science and Technology, in the south-east suburb of Lille.

Admission 
Admission to the Centralien engineering Programme implemented at École Centrale de Lille is possible after two/three year scientific undergraduate studies and requires success to either: 
 an admission exam for Bachelors of Sciences : CASTing - Concours d'Admission sur Titre Ingénieur (2-year curriculum)
 a French nationwide selective exam with numerus clausus : concours Centrale-Supelec (3-year curriculum including at least 2 years in France)
 a selective application as per Top Industrial Managers for Europe (TIME) double degrees procedures applicable in Europe (2+2-year curriculum, including 2 years in France)

The Centralien Programme typically lasts three years and results in a master's degree, augmented with international experience. Thus undergraduate studies + the Centralien Programme account for more than a cumulated 300 ECTS credits as applicable in the European education system.
 
However, graduate students enrolled in the TIME double degree procedure are required to spend two-years at École Centrale de Lille and spend two years in the TIME-partner institute for a total of four years resulting in a double master's degree.

Research labs 
Research activities at École Centrale de Lille relate to the following topics:
Automatic Control, Computer Science and Signal Processing (Laboratoire d'Automatique, Génie Informatique et Signal - LAGIS)
Mechanical engineering, fluid mechanics & civil engineering (Laboratoire de mécanique de Lille - LML)
Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics (Laboratoire d'électrotechnique et d'électronique de puissance de Lille - L2EP)
Electronics, Microelectronics, Nano-technologies (Institut d'électronique de microélectronique et de nanotechnologie - IEMN)
Chemical engineering, Catalysis and Solid Chemistry (Unité de catalyse et de chimie du solide de Lille - UCCS)
Systems Engineering & Manufacturing (Laboratoire de modélisation et de management des organisations - LM2O)
 Materials Science & Processing (Laboratoire des matériaux)
 Railways and urban transportation systems (IFSTTAR Railenium)

References

Further reading 

 Official website

Technical colleges and universities in France
1854 establishments in Europe
Lille
1850s establishments in France