Institut national des sciences appliquées de Toulouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Institute for Applied Sciences (INSA Toulouse)

Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse
Type	Grande école d'ingénieurs (public research university Engineering school)
Established	1963; 62 years ago (1963)
Parent institution	Institut national des sciences appliquées (INSA)
Academic affiliations	Conférence des Grandes écoles Federal University of Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées Toulouse Tech
President	Bertrand RAQUET
Students	3,169 38% female 23% international
Location	Toulouse , France
Language	English-only & French-only instruction

INSA Toulouse

Location in France

The National Institute for Applied Sciences of Toulouse, or INSA Toulouse, is a famous engineering school in France. It is located in the city of Toulouse. This school is one of six special engineering institutes that are part of the INSA network across France.

INSA Toulouse was started in 1963. Its main goal is to train highly skilled engineers. It also focuses on helping people keep learning and doing scientific research. Since 2007, it has been part of the University of Toulouse.

Getting into INSA Toulouse is quite competitive. In 2020, only about 10% of students who applied were accepted. However, the school really values diversity and having students from all over the world. For example, about 38% of its students are girls, and 23% come from other countries.

The school is located next to the Canal du Midi. It's on a big university campus that includes other important schools. INSA Toulouse is a founding member of the Federal University of Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées. This means it works closely with 31 other universities and research places in the Occitanie region of France.

What You Can Study

Toulouse Tech logo

A view of Toulouse, France

INSA Toulouse is one of the top engineering schools in France. These schools are known as Grandes Écoles. They are special higher education places that are separate from, but connected to, the main public university system in France.

Grandes Écoles are very selective. They have smaller class sizes and many programs are taught in English. Students often get chances to do internships or study abroad. They also have strong connections with government and businesses. Degrees from INSA are officially recognized by the French Ministry of National Education.

Engineering Degrees

At INSA Toulouse, you can earn an engineering degree after five years of study. The program starts with a common year for everyone. Then, students spend two years exploring different areas before choosing their main specialization for the final two years.

It's quite hard to get into INSA Toulouse. Students who are accepted usually have very high grades from their high school exams.

Main Study Areas

INSA Toulouse offers master's level engineering degrees in eight main areas:

• Biological engineering
• Mathematical modeling and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
• Mechanical engineering
• Applied physics
• Civil engineering
• Chemical engineering
• Computer and networks engineering
• Automatic control and Electronics

Other INSA schools in places like Lyon or Rennes offer different specializations.

Advanced Studies

Besides the main engineering degrees, students can also pursue advanced master's degrees. Some of these are taught in English, like:

• Advanced Master in Safety Engineering & Management
• Advanced Master Business Engineering and International Affairs
• Advanced Master in Innovative and Secure IoT systems (Internet of Things)

There are also special master's degrees designed for international students, such as:

• Electronic systems for embedded communications and applications
• Fluids Engineering for Industrial Processes
• Water Engineering and Water Management
• Industrial & Safety Engineering

PhD Programs

If students want to continue their studies even further, they can do a PhD. These programs are managed with other universities in Toulouse. PhD students can focus on areas like:

• 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 engineering

International Opportunities

Every student at INSA Toulouse must spend at least 12 weeks abroad. This can be a semester at a partner university or an internship. Many students choose to stay even longer in another country.

INSA Toulouse has many exchange programs around the world. In Europe, they work with universities in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries through the Erasmus program.

The school also offers special double-degree programs with 20 universities in other countries. This means students can earn two degrees from two different universities. Some of these partners are in Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, and Spain.

INSA Toulouse also takes part in several exchange programs:

• ERASMUS: Over 130 agreements with universities in 21 European countries.
• ECIU University: Since 2019, INSA has been part of a European alliance for research and training with 12 partner institutions.
• FITEC: Programs for training and internships with universities in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.
• Summer Schools: Special summer programs with universities in the U.S.
• ASINSA: For Asian students interested in engineering in France.
• IBERINSA: For Spanish-speaking students interested in engineering in France.

Research at INSA Toulouse

INSA Toulouse is involved in a lot of important research. They study topics like:

• Aeronautics (things related to aircraft and flying), space, and embedded systems (computer systems built into other devices).
• Environment, health, biotechnologies, and energy.
• Nanosciences and nanotechnologies (working with very tiny materials).
• Cities, urban networks, and information networks.
• Biomathematics and bioinformatics (using math and computers to study biology).

This research is done in partnership with other institutions in 8 special laboratories. These labs work with groups like the CNRS (France's national scientific research center) and various universities.

Student Life and Culture

The campus at INSA Toulouse is very lively! Students have many cultural activities to choose from. The main student association, L’Amicale des Elèves, has over 70 student clubs. These clubs offer a huge variety of activities, including sports, arts, events, and social projects.

There's a student hall and a party hall where students can organize events. The school also has its own web radio station, "Radio Insa Toulouse," which started in 2007. It helps students and staff communicate.

Every year, there's a fun race around the campus called "Les 100 tours de l’INSA." All the student associations get together for two days of celebration.

In September 2000, a student association called Les Enfoiros was created. This group helps a French charity called Les Restos du Coeur, which provides free meals to people in need. Les Enfoiros raises money through concerts and other events. So far, they have raised about €250,000 for the charity!

Another active student group is the Toulouse Ingénierie Multidisciplinaire (TIM). This group works with Paul Sabatier University. They design and build super fuel-efficient prototype cars. Since 1995, the TIM team has competed in the Shell Eco Marathon. This is a European competition to see which vehicle can travel the longest distance on just one liter of fuel. The TIM team is one of the best in the world and has set several world records! For example, in 2009, their car traveled 3350 kilometers on just one liter of ethanol fuel.

Rankings

INSA Toulouse is highly ranked both in France and internationally.

• In 2010, L'Express magazine ranked it 2nd among 5-year engineering schools in France.
• In 2021, L'Etudiant magazine ranked it 2nd for academic excellence among 5-year schools in France, and 3rd overall.
• The Shanghai Ranking by Subject in 2021 placed INSA Toulouse in the world's top 200 for mathematics. It was also in the world's top 300 for biotechnologies. This is impressive for a school of its size!

Getting into INSA Toulouse is competitive. Here are some acceptance rates for students applying after high school exams:

Famous Alumni

Many successful people have graduated from INSA Toulouse. Here are a few:

• Pierre Andurand: A well-known hedge fund manager.
• Sylvie Lorente: A respected academic who was elected to the Academia Europaea.
• Louis Castex: A former director of INSA Toulouse and president of the University of Toulouse.
• Pierre Monsan: A biochemist and professor who founded Toulouse White Biotechnology.
• Didier Quillot: A chairman of Lagardère Active.
• Jean Botti: The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of EADS (now Airbus) for many years.
• Richard Attias: A Moroccan-born businessman.
• Romain Mesnil: A French pole vaulter who competed internationally.
• Jean Bouilhou: A rugby player who played for the French national team.
• Thomas Castaignède: Another rugby player who played for the French national team.
• David Skrela: Also a rugby player who played for the French national team.

See also

In Spanish: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Aplicadas de Toulouse para niños