Mines Paris – PSL facts for kids
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École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris
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| Motto | Théorie et Pratique |
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Motto in English
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Theory and Practice |
| Type | Grande école d'ingénieurs (public research university Engineering school) |
| Established | 1783 |
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Academic staff
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286 permanent research professors |
| Students | 1,281 students 37% international |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Paris, Fontainebleau, Évry, Sophia Antipolis |
| Language | English-only & French-only instruction |
| Affiliations | Conférence des Grandes écoles Université PSL Institut Mines-Télécom ParisTech Carnot M.I.N.E.S Armines Groupe des Écoles des mines |
| Website | https://mines-paristech.eu/About-us/ |
Mines Paris – PSL, officially called École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, is a very famous engineering school in France. It's also known as the Paris School of Mines. This school is part of the PSL Research University. King Louis XVI first started it in 1783.
Mines Paris is known for its amazing research centers. It also has great partnerships with top universities around the world. These include places like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the USA. Other partners are in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo.
The school even publishes its own world university ranking. This ranking looks at how many former students become CEOs of the world's 500 largest companies. Mines Paris is also a member of the ParisTech group, which brings together several top French engineering schools.
Contents
History of Mines Paris
The idea for a mining school first came up in 1765. But it was a man named Balthazar-Georges Sage who helped make it happen. He convinced Jacques Necker that teaching about minerals was important for training mining students.
So, a special teaching position for mineralogy was created in 1778. The school of mines officially opened in Paris on March 19, 1783. This was done by a special order from the French King's Counsel.
The school closed for a short time during the French Revolution. But it was reopened in 1794. Later, in 1802, it moved to Savoie.
After the French monarchy returned in 1814, the school moved back to Paris. It found a new home in the Hôtel de Vendôme building. Starting in the 1960s, the school began to open new research labs. These labs were set up in different cities like Fontainebleau, Évry, and Sophia Antipolis.
What Students Learn
Mines Paris is part of a group of schools called Groupe des écoles des mines. These are "Grandes Écoles," which are special higher education schools in France. They are separate from regular public universities.
Grandes Écoles are very selective. Students get in through a tough competition. People who graduate from these schools often get important jobs. They work in government, administration, or big companies in France.
The main goal of Mines Paris used to be training mining engineers. But over time, it changed to fit new technologies. Now, Mines Paris - PSL is one of France's top engineering schools. It offers many different subjects.
Students are trained for leadership roles. They can work in research, development, or as operations officers. They get a well-rounded education. This includes subjects like Math, Physics, Economics, and even Social Sciences. This helps them solve complex problems in their future jobs.
Students can also join exchange programs in their third semester. They can study at famous universities worldwide. These include MIT, Caltech, and the University of Hong Kong.
Grandes Écoles usually have smaller class sizes. Many programs are taught in English. They also offer international internships and study abroad chances. These schools have strong connections with government and businesses. Degrees from these schools are officially recognized by the French Ministry of National Education.
Study Programs
Mines Paris - PSL offers several types of study programs:
- The Ingénieurs civils degree: This is a Master of Science and Executive Engineering. It's one of the best engineering degrees in France.
- The Corps of Mines: This is a special three-year program. It includes long internships in public and private companies. Only top students from other elite French schools can apply.
- Mastère Spécialisé degree: These are post-graduate programs. They focus on areas like Energy, Environment, and Materials engineering.
- Doctoral (PhD) and Master studies: These are advanced programs in many different fields.
To get into the Civil Engineer program, French students usually take a tough national exam. This exam is after a two-year undergraduate program. Each year, ten students from around the world are also accepted. They are chosen based on their school achievements.
School Rankings
Mines Paris is highly ranked both in France and globally.
National Rankings (as Mines Paris)
These rankings are for its Master of Sciences in Engineering program.
| Nom | Année | Rang |
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| DAUR Rankings | 2023 | 2 |
| L’Étudiant | 2024 | 3 |
| L’Usine nouvelle | 2024 | 2 |
| Le Figaro | 2024 | 2 |
International Rankings (as PSL University)
These rankings are for PSL University, which Mines Paris is a part of.
| Nom | Année | Rang (monde) | Rang (France) |
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| CWUR | 2022-2023 | 21 | 1 |
| QS Top Universities | 2023 | 26 | 1 |
| Shanghai Ranking | 2022 | 41 | 2 |
| Times Higher Education | 2022 | 47 | 1 |
Student Life and Groups
Students at Mines Paris have many ways to get involved.
A Student Union is chosen every year. They help students connect with companies. They also organize fun events for everyone.
There are many other student groups too:
- The Students' Sport Committee (BDS)
- The Junior Enterprise (JUMP)
- The Arts' Office (BDA)
- Cahier Vert (a group for social outreach and tutoring)
- CAV (a wine-tasting club)
- A Catholic community
- A fanfare band
- An entrepreneur club (Mines Genius)
- Humanitarian groups (Heliotopia, Ceres, Zanbinou)
- A photography club
- A sailing club
Famous Former Students
Many important people have studied at Mines Paris.
Scientists and Thinkers
- Maurice Allais (1911–2010): Won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1988.
- Georges Charpak (1924–2010): Won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1992.
- Henri Poincaré (1854-1912): A famous mathematician and physicist.
- Jean-Baptiste Élie de Beaumont (1798–1874): A founder of geology.
- Auguste Laurent (1808–1853): A chemist who helped create modern Organic Chemistry.
- Jean-Jacques Favier (1949–): An astronaut.
Business Leaders
Many former students have become leaders of big companies:
- Anne Rigail: CEO of Air France since 2018.
- Patrick Pouyanné: CEO of TotalEnergies since 2014.
- Jean-Laurent Bonnafé: CEO of BNP Paribas since 2011.
- Carlos Ghosn: Former CEO of Nissan and Renault-Nissan.
- Anne Lauvergeon: Former CEO of Areva.
Politicians
Some alumni have also held important political roles:
- Alain Poher (1909–1996): A politician who was interim President of France.
- Albert François Lebrun (1871–1950): A former President of France.
- Najla Bouden Romdhane (1958–): Former Prime Minister of Tunisia.
Research Centers
Mines Paris has many research centers that focus on different areas.
Energy and Processes
- CES (Energy efficiency of Systems Center)
- PERSEE (Processes, Renewable Energies and Energy Systems Center)
Mathematics and Systems
- CAOR (Robotics Center)
- CMA (Applied Mathematics Center)
- CRI (Computer Science Center)
Earth Science and Environment
- Geosciences (Geosciences and Geoengineering Center): This center is in Fontainebleau. It studies Earth and Environmental Sciences.
- ISIGE (Environmental Engineering and Management Center)
Economics, Management, Society
- CERNA (Industrial Economics Center)
- CGS (Scientific Management Center)
- CSI (Sociology of Innovation Center)
Mechanical and Materials Engineering
- CEMEF (Material Forming Center)
- Materials Center
Other Schools of Mines in France
- École nationale supérieure des Mines d'Albi Carmaux (Mines Albi-Carmaux)
- École nationale supérieure des Mines d'Alès (Mines Alès)
- École nationale supérieure des Mines de Douai (Mines Douai)
- École nationale supérieure des Mines de Nancy
- École nationale supérieure des Mines de Nantes (Mines Nantes)
- École nationale supérieure des mines de Saint-Étienne (Mines Saint-Étienne)
Other Schools of Mines in the UK
- Royal School of Mines
- Camborne School of Mines
Other Schools of Mines in Africa
- École nationale supérieure des Mines de Rabat (Mines Rabat)
Other Schools of Mines in the USA
- Colorado School of Mines
- Columbia School of Mines
See also
- PSL Research University
- ParisTech
- Institut Mines-Télécom
- Musée de Minéralogie
- Mines ParisTech: Professional Ranking of World Universities
