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École nationale d'administration
Logo-École nationale d'administration.png
Type Public graduate school, grande école
Active 1945–2021
(replaced by the Institut national du service public)
Founders Charles de Gaulle and Michel Debré
Academic affiliation
 TPC
Budget €43.98 million
President Jean-Marc Sauvé
Director Patrick Gérard
Administrative staff
 229
Postgraduates 533 students
Location
Strasbourg and Paris
,
France
Colors Blue, white

The École nationale d'administration (often called ENA) was a famous French school. Its name means "National School of Administration." It was created in 1945 by President Charles de Gaulle and Michel Debré.

The main goal of ENA was to make it fairer for people to join the senior civil service. This meant working for the government in important roles. ENA was known as one of France's best schools. Many of its students had already studied at other top schools.

ENA was a key path to high-level jobs in both government and private companies. Four French Presidents, including Emmanuel Macron, studied there. Many prime ministers and other government leaders also went to ENA.

The school was first in Paris. Later, it moved to Strasbourg to show its connection to Europe. It was located in an old building called Commanderie Saint-Jean. ENA trained about 80 to 90 students each year. These graduates were sometimes called énarques. In 2021, ENA was closed. It was replaced by a new school called the Institut national du service public (INSP).

History of ENA

Why ENA Was Created

The École Nationale d'Administration started in October 1945. It was part of a plan by Michel Debré. He wanted to improve how France chose and trained its top government workers.

Before ENA, each government department had its own way of hiring. Their exams were very specific. This made it hard for many people to pass. It also meant officials often knew only one area very well.

ENA was designed to give future public servants a wider and better education. The goal was to make sure they knew a lot about government and public policy. Debré wanted to create skilled officials, especially in money, business, and social topics. The new system used exams and skills to choose people. This helped stop favoritism and made hiring more open.

Moving to Strasbourg

In 1991, the French government decided to move ENA to Strasbourg. They chose an old building called the Commanderie Saint-Jean. This building used to be a military barracks and a prison.

The move was meant to show ENA's close ties to the many European organizations in Strasbourg. Even after the official move, ENA kept some facilities in Paris. Students had to study in both cities until 2005, when it fully moved to Strasbourg.

In 2002, ENA joined with another school called the Institut international d'administration publique (IIAP). This was done to help ENA become more known around the world.

Why ENA Was Closed

In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would close ENA. He himself was a graduate of the school. However, some people felt that ENA graduates formed a small, powerful group. They thought this group was out of touch with regular people. Protests like the yellow vests movement brought this issue to light.

In April 2021, President Macron confirmed the school's closure. He called it the most important change to the senior public service since ENA began in 1945. ENA officially closed on December 31, 2021. The Institut national du service public (INSP) took its place in January 2022.

How Students Joined ENA

Getting into ENA was very competitive. Students usually took an exam after finishing studies at places like Sciences Po. There were also special classes to prepare for the ENA exam.

The main exam, called "concours externe," had two parts:

  • Written part: This included essays on law, economics, and public institutions. There was also a task to summarize a document and answer questions on public finance.
  • Oral exam: Only students with high scores on the written exam could take this. It included tests on international politics, European law, and English. There was also a group task to check teamwork skills. The final part was a 45-minute "Grand Oral" where any question could be asked.

The results of these exams were announced by the end of December.

ENA's "Promotions"

At ENA, each group of students who started in the same year was called a promotion. These groups often chose names after famous people. They also picked names from battles, ideas, or values. This tradition came from old French military schools.

For example, the "Promotion Voltaire" from 1980 became very famous. Many students from that year became important figures in French politics. These included François Hollande, who later became President, and Dominique de Villepin, a former Prime Minister.

ENA's Rankings

ENA was often ranked among the top schools. In 2011, one ranking placed ENA third in France. It was also ranked ninth in the world. This was based on how many of its graduates became CEOs of large global companies.

In 2013, another ranking put ENA sixth in the world using a similar measure.

Famous Graduates

Most ENA graduates, called énarques, worked in neutral government jobs. They focused on technical and administrative tasks. However, some ENA alumni became business leaders in France.

French law made it easy for government workers to enter politics. If they were elected, they could take a break from their government job. If they were not re-elected, they could return to their old job. This helped some ENA graduates start political careers.

Over 60 years, ENA trained 5,600 French officials and 2,600 people from other countries. Some well-known graduates include:

International Cooperation

ENA worked with other countries too. For example, in 2012, it signed an agreement with Uzbekistan. This agreement helped Uzbekistan improve its government administration. It also helped train public servants there.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Escuela Nacional de Administración para niños Other main French Grandes Écoles :

Other prestigious universities in the world:

Images for kids

  • Strasbourg-RemiLeblond-ENA-MAMC2

    The Commanderie Saint-Jean, home of the École nationale d'administration

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