"The City of Paris Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Educational Institution, (ESPCI), is one of the most outstanding French institution that enhances the prestige and renown of our capital in the field of science. It has always been committed to maintaining the highest level of original and innovative research. At the same time it provides education and training in keeping with the expectations and requirements of the business world. Today, as industrialists are confronted with needs that span a wide range of disciplines, ESPCI is able to provide a variety of training and research options and cater to new sectors such as health, environment and imaging, thus proving that it can keep abreast with the changing demands of the business world."
Mayor of Paris
"Taking a series of intelligent steps our former Director, the Nobel laureate Pierre-Gilles de Gennes has boosted the activity of ESPCI at the best world level. The very interdisciplinary education of the student engineers in Physics, Chemistry and Biology is deeply rooted in experimental practice balanced with a high theoretical level.
Through intense work, we train genuine innovation professionals, with acute knowledge of our surrounding and able to irrigate industry or academic worlds in both traditional and emerging sectors of activity. The directions set by the Curies, Charpak and de Gennes are being actively followed."
General Director of ESPCI
Founded in 1882, the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles of Paris (ESPCI) has been attracting the most creative scientific minds for more than a century : Pierre and Marie Curie, Paul Langevin, Frédéric Joliot Curie, Pierre-Gilles de Gennes and Georges Charpak are as many names that contribute to the international reputation of the school.
The course of studies lasts four years. The two first years are devoted to giving the students a strong base education in Physics, Chemistry and in Biology. During the third year, the student perform an industrial internship and research projects in laboratories. The students can major in Physics or Chemistry. During the fourth year, the students can either start doctoral studies or do a master abroad. They can also complete their education in various application schools (master for engineers). The engineering practical training program is based on the industrial intership at the beginning of the third year, the projects in laboratories during the last two years, lectures on recruitment process and social economics at the beginning of the fourth year. The compulsory industrial internship that lasts from 4 to 6 months has a huge importance. More than half of the internships are performed abroad: Europe, United States, Japan, China, Australia...
The quality of education at the ESPCI enables the Alumni to be present in all of the industrial areas (Telecommunications, Computing, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Biology...) mostly in Research and Development.
First positions held by ESPCI graduated students