École nationale d'administration facts for kids
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| Type | Public graduate school, grande école |
|---|---|
| Active | 1945–2021 (replaced by the Institut national du service public) |
| Founders | Charles de Gaulle and Michel Debré |
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Academic affiliation
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TPC |
| Budget | €43.98 million |
| President | Jean-Marc Sauvé |
| Director | Patrick Gérard |
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Administrative staff
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229 |
| Postgraduates | 533 students |
| Location |
Strasbourg and Paris
,
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| Colors | Blue, white |
The École nationale d'administration (ENA), also known as the National School of Administration, was a very important French school. It was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle and Michel Debré. The main goal was to train top government officials and make it easier for more people to join the senior public service.
However, over time, the ENA was often criticized. People felt it had become too "elite" and only for a small group of people. Because of this, the school was closed on December 31, 2021. It was replaced by a new school called the Institut national du service public (INSP).
The ENA was known for being one of the toughest schools in France to get into. Many students who applied had already graduated from other top schools. This meant that ENA was a key pathway to high-level jobs in both government and private companies. In fact, four French Presidents, including Emmanuel Macron, and many Prime Ministers studied at the ENA.
Originally, the ENA was in Paris. Later, it moved to Strasbourg to show its connection to Europe. The school was located in an old building called the Commanderie Saint-Jean. Even after moving, it kept some offices in Paris. Each year, about 80 to 90 students graduated from the ENA.
In 2019, President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to close the ENA. Even though he was an ENA graduate himself, many people felt that the network of ENA graduates had too much influence. Some protests, like the yellow vests movement, argued that these leaders were out of touch with everyday people. In April 2021, President Macron confirmed the school's closure. He called it the most important change to the senior public service since the ENA was first created.
Contents
History of ENA
How ENA Started
The École Nationale d'Administration officially began in October 1945. It was started by Michel Debré as part of his plan to improve how high-ranking government officials were chosen and trained.
The ENA was designed to make it fairer for people to get top jobs in the French government. Before ENA, each government department had its own way of hiring. Their exams were often very specific, so only a few people had the right knowledge to pass. Also, officials often knew only one area, making it hard for them to work in different roles.
The new school aimed to give government workers a broader and more consistent education. It wanted to make sure they knew a lot about government policies and how to run things. Debré wanted to create "a group of officials proven to be highly skilled." This new system, based on strong academics and tough exams, also aimed to stop favoritism and make hiring for top jobs more open and clear.
There were three main ways to get a senior job in the French government. These included general government positions, technical (engineering) positions, and promotions from within.
Moving to Strasbourg
In November 1991, the government decided to move the ENA to Strasbourg. The Commanderie Saint-Jean, an old building that used to be a military barracks and prison, was chosen as the new home. The move was meant to show the school's close ties to the many European organizations in the city.
However, even after the official move, the school kept many of its facilities in Paris. Students had to study in both cities until the school fully moved to Strasbourg in January 2005. In 2002, the ENA joined with another school, the Institut international d'administration publique (IIAP). This was done to make the ENA more well-known around the world.
ENA's Closure
In April 2019, there were rumors that President Macron would announce the closure of ENA. This was part of a plan to address the Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) crisis. On April 25, 2019, President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that he would close the ENA.
In April 2021, Macron officially announced the school's closure. He called it the "most important reform of the senior public service" since the school was created in 1945. In January 2022, the ENA was replaced by the Institut national du service public (INSP).
How Students Were Chosen
Getting into the ENA was based on a very tough competition. This exam took place from late August to November. Most people who took it had already studied at Sciences Po or special preparatory classes. The main exam, called "concours externe," had two parts:
- The written part included:
- An essay on public law.
- An essay on economics.
- An essay about the role of public institutions and their relationship with society.
- A "note de synthèse," which meant analyzing a long document and writing a short report for a senior leader. This was usually about social laws and policies.
- Three questions on public finance.
- The oral exam, for those with the highest written scores, included:
- An oral test on international politics.
- An oral test on European law and policies.
- An English oral test.
- A group exam that simulated a management situation to see how students worked together.
- A 45-minute "Grand Oral" entrance exam, where any question could be asked, based on the student's resume.
The results of these exams were usually announced by the end of December. There were also other ways to get in, like for civil servants already working (concours interne) or for people with experience in business or politics (troisième concours).
After a two-year program with important internships and exams, students were ranked by their results. The top-ranked students usually got to choose the most desired government jobs. These included roles in finance, the Council of State, or the Court of Accounts. Other students joined various government ministries or administrative justice roles.
The ENA's website once said that while some famous graduates are well-known, most lead quiet and helpful careers in the French civil service. They do not see themselves in the common stereotypes about the school.
ENA Graduating Classes
The academic years at ENA were called promotions (graduating classes). Students would name their class after famous French people, foreigners, characters, battles, or important ideas. This tradition came from old French military academies.
For example, the Promotion Voltaire from 1980 is very famous. Many graduates from that year became important figures in French politics. These included François Hollande, Dominique de Villepin, and Ségolène Royal.
Famous ENA Graduates
Most ENA graduates (about 99%) work in neutral, technical, and administrative jobs in the French government. Researchers have shown that many ENA alumni also become business leaders in France.
French law makes it fairly easy for government workers to enter politics. If a civil servant is elected or appointed to a political job, they do not have to quit their government position. Instead, they are put on "temporary leave." If they are not re-elected, they can ask to return to their old government job.
Since it was created, the ENA trained 5,600 French senior officials and 2,600 people from other countries. Some famous graduates include:
- Presidents: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (France), Jacques Chirac (France), François Hollande (France), Emmanuel Macron (France).
- Prime Ministers: Jean Castex (France), Édouard Philippe (France), Laurent Fabius (France), Michel Rocard (France), Lionel Jospin (France), Dominique de Villepin (France).
- Business Leaders: Guillaume Pepy (CEO of SNCF), Michel Bon (former CEO of Carrefour), Louis Gallois (former CEO of EADS).
- Current French Ministers: Jean Castex (Prime Minister), Florence Parly, and Bruno Le Maire.
- Former French Ministers: Édouard Philippe (former Prime Minister), Michel Sapin, Ségolène Royal.
- International Organization Leaders: Pascal Lamy (WTO), Jean-Claude Trichet (ECB), Michel Camdessus (IMF).
Images for kids
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ENA's official logo.
See also
In Spanish: Escuela Nacional de Administración para niños
