Institut national des sciences appliquées de Toulouse
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| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1963 |
| President | Bertrand Raquet |
| Students | 2200 |
| Location | , |
| Affiliations | University of Toulouse Toulouse Tech |
| Website | http://www.insa-toulouse.fr/en/index.html |
The Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse or INSA Toulouse is one of the 210 Grande Ecole d’Ingénieurs, an engineering school, under the authority of the French Ministry of Education and Research. Situated in Toulouse, this school is one of the 6 state engineering institutes that compose the INSA's network. Created in 1963, it has been a founding member of the University of Toulouse since 2007. Every year, 500 engineers graduate and in 2017, the alumni network is formed by 17,852 engineers (08/2019). Thanks to the diversity of the specializations, these engineers are now present in all economic sectors. Apart from this degree in Engineering, INSA Toulouse's missions are to foster continuous training and scientific research. It also offers various master's degrees and PhD. Diversity and international openness are two values to which INSA Toulouse gives priority: the school is composed of 34% female students, 30% of students are scholarship holders and one out of five students comes from a foreign country. In 2018, INSA Toulouse was ranked 3rd out of 81 French engineering schools offering a 5-year curriculum (L'Etudiant magazine).
Teaching
Diplômes d'Ingénieur
New European program
In 2002, INSA Toulouse decided to reform its structure to adapt to the European 3/5/8 system. The Engineering degree is obtained after five years of studies. The new programme, better adapted to the social and economic environment, includes a one-year common core, two years of pre-specialization and two years of specialization. The selection level at INSA Toulouse has greatly increased since the European reform, and it now makes the INSA Toulouse one of the most elitist universities in France, with an average grade at the Baccalauréat exam (high school achievement exam) of 16,6/20, equivalent to the grades 1.0 or A in Anglo-Saxon countries.
Specializations
INSA Toulouse offers master level degrees (Diplôme d'Ingénieur) in the following 8 specializations:
- Biochemical engineering
- Mathematical and modeling engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Applied physics
- Civil engineering
- Process engineering
- Computer and networks engineering
- Automatic control and Electronics
Note that other specializations are possible in the other INSAs (Lyon, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg, Centre Val de Loire)).
Research Masters
In parallel of the regular Masters in Engineering, students may also follow one of the research masters, taught in French:
- Civil Engineering: Sustainable Engineering – research and innovation in materials and structures
- Mechanical/Energy/Thermic Engineering: Fluid dynamics, Energetics and Transfers
- Mechanical Engineering: Sciences for Mechanics of Material and Structures
- Embedded Networks and Connected objects – Security of information systems and networks
Advanced Masters’s Degree
INSA Toulouse delivers three Mastères Spécialisés, also called post master's degree] for students already holding a master's degree. These masters are taught in English in the following subjects:
- Advanced Master in Safety Engineering & Management
- Advanced Master Business Engineering and International Affairs
- Advanced Master in Innovative and Secure IoT systems
Masters of Science and Technology
- At INSA Toulouse, four master's degrees are especially designed for international students:
- Electronic systems for embedded communications and applications
- Fluids Engineering for Industrial Processes
- Water Engineering and Water Management
- Industrial & Safety Engineering
Doctoral studies
Doctoral studies are managed together with other universities and engineering schools of Toulouse. PhD candidates can study in one of the following "écoles doctorales":
- Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering
- Mathematics, Informatics and Telecommunications
- Mechanics, Energetics, Civil Engineering and Processes
- Materials Sciences
- Ecology, Agronomy, Bioengineering and Veterinary Sciences
- Systems
Research
INSA Toulouse conducts research in the following subjects:
- aeronautics, space, embedded systems
- environment, health, biotechnologies, energy
- nanosciences and nanotechnologies
- towns, urban networks, information networks
- biomathematics, bioinformatics
The research programmes are run with partner institutions; the 8 research laboratories are:
- Biosystems and Process Engineering Laboratory – LISPB [1] (in partnership with CNRS and INRA)
- Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry ofNano-objects – LPCNO [2] (in partnership with UPS and CNRS)
- Laboratory for Materials and ConstructionWorks Durability – LMDC [3] (in partnership with UPS)
- Clément Ader Institute – ICA [4] (in partnership with UPS, ISAE and EMAC)
- Institute of Mathematics of Toulouse – IMT [5] (in partnership with UPS, UT1, UT2 and CNRS)
- High Magnetic Field National Laboratory of Toulouse – LNCMI [6] (in partnership with CNRS, UPS and UJF)
- Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems – LAAS [7] (in partnership with CNRS)
- Centre for Materials Elaboration andStructural Studies – CEMES [8] (in partnership with CNRS and UPS)
International
During their study, each student must spend a minimum of 12 weeks abroad, either as part of a semester in a partner university or during an internship, but some stay longer or spend considerably more time in a foreign country. In Europe, exchanges take place in the framework of the Erasmus programme, with partnerships in UK (University of Bristol, University of Nottingham, University of Cardiff, University of Glasgow, etc.), Germany (Universität Hamburg, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, etc.), Italy (Politecnico di Milano, Politecnico di Torino), Spain, Netherlands, Scandinavian countries, in Eastern countries and so on INSA Toulouse also offers double-degrees with 20 foreign institutions, including: Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Seoul National University, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, etc.
In addition to receiving short-term exchange students, INSA Toulouse set up several years ago three special programmes and now welcomes foreigners willing to study integrally in France. These programmes are NORGINSA for Norwegians, ASINSA for Asians (mainly from China, Vietnam and Malaysia) and the newest is IBERINSA, for Spanish speaking students.
INSA culture
The campus of INSA Toulouse is very active and flourishes with cultural activities. L’Amicale des Elèves and its over 70 students clubs offer a wide range of activities that will suit all tastes: outdoors and indoors sports, arts, events, social actions, leisure and so on. There is also a student hall and a party hall in where insaïens (INSA students) can organize events and the school's newspaper informs student about the campus life. The web radio, “Radio Insa Toulouse”, created in 2007, aims to facilitate communication between students and the staff (administration, teachers, researchers...). Every year, an annual race around the campus called “Les 100 tours de l’INSA”, gather every student association during two days in a festive atmosphere.
In September 2000 was created Les Enfoiros, a student association, which aims to help Les Restos du Coeur (a French nationwide association that gives free meals to impoverished persons) collecting money through various concerts and other events all along the year. Since then, Les Enfoiros have raised around €250,000 for this association.
Moreover, the AIIT, the INSA Toulouse students association, is very active as well and aims to:
- Establish and maintain alumni contact
- Advise students and graduates in their professional life
- Develop cooperation between the Board and INSA's professors
- Promote the school and its values
The Toulouse Ingénierie Multidisciplinaire (TIM) (partnership with the Paul Sabatier University) is a state of the art student association whose objective is to conceive and build very low consumption prototype cars. Founded in 1995, the association takes part every year ever since in the Shell Eco Marathon, a European competition whose winner is the vehicle able to run the longest distance with one litre of gasoline equivalent. As a matter of facts, the TIM is one of the best teams in the world, breaking several world records throughout its history, such as:
- ICE Prototypes category (Internal Combustion Engine), ethanol fuel: 3350 km/L in 2009, on the Rokingham track (still valid in 2017)
- ICE Urban Concepts category, ethanol fuel: 711 km/L en 2017, on le Mans karting track
Location
Toulouse is located in the south of France. The INSA is more precisely on the Rangueil Campus (that also includes Université Paul Sabatier III and aeronautical engineering universities Supaero and ENAC) along the Canal du Midi.
Notable alumni
- Pierre Andurand, hedge fund manager of BlueGold Capital and Andurand Capital. Chairman of Glory (kickboxing)
- Louis Castex, former director of Arts et Métiers ParisTech and INSA Toulouse, former president of the University of Toulouse.
- Didier Quillot (born on 18 May 1959, graduated in 1981), chairman of Lagardère Active.
- Jean Botti (born on 14 April 1957, graduated in 1986), Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of EADS since 2006.
- Richard Attias (born on 19 November 1959), a Moroccan-born businessman. In 2008 he married former First Lady of France, Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz, in New York.
- Romain Mesnil (born on 13 July 1977, graduated in 2001), a French Pole vaulter.
- Jean Bouilhou (born 7 December 1978, graduated in 2002), rugby player, played with the French national team.
- Thomas Castaignède, (born 21 January 1975) rugby player, played with the French national team.
- David Skrela (born 2 March 1979, graduated in 2003), rugby player, played with the French national team.