Overview of Université Gustave Eiffel

Université Gustave Eiffel (UNI EIFFEL) is a French and unique pioneering university bringing together six existing multidisciplinary entities to address the continuous transformation of cities together with the societal challenges of tomorrow. From social sciences to nanotechnologies, the University combines education, research and the business environment to develop smart, sustainable and resilient cities of tomorrow.

Université Gustave Eiffel has seven campuses all over France (Nantes, Lille, Lyon, Marne-la-Vallée, Versailles, Méditerranée and Paris) and brings together:

  • a research institution – the French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport, Development and Networks (former IFSTTAR);
  • an interdisciplinary university, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée (former UPEM);
  • a school of architecture, Ecole d’Architecture Ville & Territoire Paris Est (EAV&T);
  • three schools in Engineering: ESIEE Paris, ENSG-Geomatics, and the Engineering School of the City of Paris (EIVP).

The overall goal of Université Gustave Eiffel is to address the social challenges of tomorrow, to help students develop cutting-edge skills in their field of study, to provide international education programmes as well as to introduce and promote research and innovation. Moreover, the University works closely with and advises public authorities at local, national and international levels.

Education

Université Gustave Eiffel offers more than 220 degrees to 17,000 students in a variety of academic disciplines (such as arts and literature, mathematics, computer science, physical sciences, languages, economics and management, and humanities and social sciences, etc), including 90 degrees open to over 2,300 apprentices (ranking as the first French university in this respect). Altogether, Université Gustave Eiffel trains 8,300 undergraduate students, 4,000 engineering students, 3,500 master students, 500 doctoral students and 700 students in architecture.

The International Relations Office promotes an international approach to higher education for both students and staff, allowing both incoming (1,851 students, 145 PhD students etc.) and outgoing mobility (308 students, 25 staff members etc.). Université Gustave Eiffel also hosts the Service Centre EURAXESS to support international mobility of researchers. The University ensures that incoming researchers, lecturers and students are well informed, trained and guided before, during and after their stay in France.

Intensive Research

Université Gustave Eiffel has over 1,200 researchers and associated researchers in 23 research entities, and publishes around 1,000 international peer-reviewed publications annually (among which about 130 articles a year appear in the “top 10% of the CWTS Leiden Ranking”). Université Gustave Eiffel has participated in the development of European research projects during the research and innovation funding programme Horizon 2020 (88 projects funded, including 4 ERC and 9 MSCA) and in the Erasmus+ programme (9 projects, more than 300 annual exchanges). Moreover, the University is now involved in collaborative research projects through the Horizon Europe programme. The University maintains dynamic relations at European and International levels, with over 900 bilateral collaboration agreements, three International Associated Laboratories and one International Research Institute in Germany.

Université Gustave Eiffel is very much involved in the French “Investments for the Future programme” (PIA), with 7 selected projects. Furthermore, the university either coordinates or is a partner in four Laboratories of Excellence (LabEx), one Equipment of Excellence (Equipex), one Institute for Energetic Transition (ITE) and one Excellence Initiative in Innovative Education (IDEFI).

Taking into account all other national and international fundings, Université Gustave Eiffel is currently managing over 470 research grants (80%) and collaboration contracts with non-academic partners (20%) amounting to € 77 million.

The University campuses are equipped with world-class research facilities, such as a geotechnical centrifuge, a test track, a pavement fatigue carrousel, instrumented cars, instrumented dummies, a 650m² clean-room, an 800m² mini-city climatic chamber (Sense-City), a world class test centre for road safety infrastructures (Transpolis), etc.

Université Gustave Eiffel is involved in international networks, such as the Transport Research Board (TRB), the World Road Association (PIARC), the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM). In addition, Université Gustave Eiffel was a member of the National Contact Points (NCP) network during the European programme Horizon 2020, acting as coordinator of the NCP Transport.

A strong link with economic partners

Université Gustave Eiffel is involved in extensive collaboration with regional competitiveness clusters (NextMove, ID4CAR, CARA, Cap Digital, SYSTEMATIC), including two French “Technology research institutes” (Railenium and SystemX).

In addition, Université Gustave Eiffel has strong links with the following institutes and research centres:

  • Efficacity, the French research & development centre dedicated to urban energy transition;
  • IDRRIM, the national public/private “Institute for Roads, Streets and Infrastructures for Mobility” focusing on transport, infrastructure and urban space;
  • CEREMA, the “Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Urban Planning”, an engineering organisation as an end-user of research.

Furthermore, Université Gustave Eiffel closely interacts with economic partners, has set up memoranda of understanding with industrial and economic partners, delivers around 200 expert contracts per year, and coordinates fourteen industrial chairs funded by major private companies. As a result, all the University campuses are embedded in regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3).

Interaction with Communities and Public Authorities

Professors, engineers and researchers from Université Gustave Eiffel are members of a large number of technical standardization institutions, at French (AFNOR, professional communities), European (CEN) and international (ISO) levels.

Lecturers are involved in designing guidelines and guidance documents. Université Gustave Eiffel disseminates research results and works with partners in governmental departments, in charge of public policies, on topics such as cities, land planning, transport, infrastructures, logistics, road and rail safety, electronics, social and human sciences.

Université Gustave Eiffel is a member of the Technical and Scientific Network (TSN) created by the Ministry of Ecological Transition (MTE) and the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion.

All these interactions with communities and public authorities allow the University to contribute to the construction of the common good.