Paris International University City (Cité Universitaire Internationale)
Paris is a city of diverse styles and high inclusivity. Its rich culture and quality education attract people from all over the world. As Edmondo De Amicis, the author of “The Heart of a Child,” said: “No one meets Paris for the first time; it is a reunion again and again.”
Educational Environment
In the 2018-2019 academic year, there were 723,217 students registered in the Paris region, with 75.2% of students enrolled in public institutions (data from Atlas). In 2019, 4,392 Chinese students chose to study in the Paris region, accounting for 37.9% of all Chinese students that year. Currently, there are 717,000 students in the higher education phase in the Paris region.
Let’s take a look at the main higher education institutions in the Paris region!
(Note: This list does not enumerate all institutions in the region, and the names of schools are primarily in French)
Comprehensive Universities
Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle
Sorbonne Université
Université Paris Cité
CY Cergy Paris Université
Université Paris-Saclay
Université Paris Sciences et Lettres
Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Engineering Schools
Ecole Polytechnique
Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers (Arts et Métiers ParisTech)
Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (Chimie ParisTech)
Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (Mines ParisTech)
Ecole Nationales des Ponts et chaussées (Ecole des Ponts ParisTech)
CentraleSupélec
Business Schools
HEC Paris
INSEAD
ESSEC Business School
ESCP Europe
SKEMA Business School (Greater Paris Campus)
Architecture Schools
École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Belleville
École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Malaquais
École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Est
École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Val de Seine
École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Versailles
École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-La Villette
Art Schools (under the Department of Culture)
École nationale supérieure d’arts Paris-Cergy
École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs
École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts
École nationale supérieure de création industrielle – Les Ateliers
Music Schools
Conservatoires Nationals Supérieurs de Musique et de Danse de Paris
Others
Sciences Po
Educational Advantages
In recent years, the French higher education system has been undergoing reforms. The government continuously modifies higher education regulations, enhances the autonomy of universities, and further promotes the internationalization of higher education institutions. Additionally, the government places great importance on the global influence of French higher education, reorganizing public universities to improve their world rankings. The “University Community” program has been implemented to promote research cooperation between public universities and grandes écoles and research institutions, aiming to establish a number of universities with significant international influence in the coming years.
Against this backdrop, several schools in Paris have taken the lead in resource integration, forming university communities such as Université Paris Cité, Université Paris-Saclay, and Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, which have recently emerged in international rankings.
According to the 2022 ShanghaiRanking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities, Université Paris-Saclay ranks first in mathematics, while Sorbonne University ranks third. France has 13 Fields Medal winners in mathematics; since there is no Nobel Prize for mathematics, the Fields Medal is equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the mathematics community.
Image from the internet
This year, 36-year-old French mathematician Hugo Duminil Copin won the 2022 Fields Medal, becoming the 13th French recipient of the Fields Medal. This honor further highlights France’s outstanding level in mathematics. This award is the eighth Fields Medal received by a mathematics professor from the Institute of Advanced Scientific Studies (IHES) (since the establishment of the institute, there have been 12 mathematics professors), the eleventh Fields Medal for Université Paris-Saclay (IHES is a member of this university), and the sixteenth Fields Medal awarded to a laboratory under the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
In addition to excelling in mathematics, other disciplines also perform remarkably well. In marine science, Sorbonne University ranks third globally. In physics, Université Paris-Saclay and Université Paris Sciences et Lettres are among the top ten globally, ranking ninth and tenth, respectively.
Besides research and fundamental disciplines, in the management field, the Financial Times recently published the 2022 global ranking of master’s programs in finance, which included 55 universities worldwide, with French business schools dominating the top five. HEC Paris ranks first, followed by ESCP Europe, SKEMA Business School, ESSEC Business School, and EDHEC Business School.
Regional Support
Improving the living and learning conditions for students and researchers in the region has always been a top priority for the Paris region. The region has launched numerous measures to assist students in completing higher education, promote international exchanges, and support student entrepreneurship, among others. In 2022, the budget for higher education and research in the region reached 132 million euros.
In terms of learning, the region has established the “Paris Region Exchange Scholarship” department, which provides scholarships ranging from 1 to 10 months based on different criteria to support international students at various levels (undergraduate, master’s, doctoral) studying in higher education institutions in the Paris region. It also provides a platform for students seeking internships.
For those who need to strengthen their language skills or wish to learn a new language, the Paris region has launched the online language learning platform QIOZ (website: qioz.fr), which offers free language courses in French (non-native), English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Chinese, and other languages to all residents of the Paris region aged 15 and above. For international students living in the Paris region, learning French through the QIOZ platform will help them understand French culture and integrate into local social life.
Image from the Paris region
The region is committed to providing students with modern and comfortable learning environments and student dormitories, not only funding the restoration and construction of university buildings but also actively engaging in construction projects. In September 2017, the region delivered 142 housing units that meet the environmental goal named “ZEN (Zéro énergie net) Zero Net Energy.” Additionally, all students under 26 in the region can use the imagine R Étudiant pass, which allows unlimited travel throughout the Paris region at a lower cost, freely using all public transportation.
For more information about the Paris region’s support for education, you can visit the regional official website (https://www.iledefrance.fr/).
Alumni Insights
The French higher education agency interviewed two outstanding alumni who studied in the Paris region to guide your study abroad journey.
For the interview content, please click the “Read Original” link at the end of the article, or copy the following link into your browser:
https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_19427097
Li Jun
Graduated with an MBA from HEC Paris in 1998. Currently serves as Managing Director and Head of Financial Institutions for China at Amundi.
You Xing
Graduated with a DEA in Applied Linguistics from Paris 5 (now Université Paris Cité) in 1993. Currently serves as the Chief Representative of the China Office of the Paris Region Investment Promotion Agency and the Paris Chamber of Commerce. Awarded the title of Knight of the National Order of Merit in 2020.
For inquiries about studying abroad, please scan the QR code below to contact the French higher education agency (Campus France):
