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École Polytechnique makes 5 major commitments to sustainable development

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On the occasion of its international scientific symposium on Friday June 7, 2019 as part of its 225th anniversary celebrations, École Polytechnique is making five major commitments to sustainable development and energy transition.

 

1. 100% of students trained in sustainable development

École Polytechnique aims to ensure that all of its students are equipped with a general environmental awareness that measures up to today’s societal challenges.

In addition to the existing programs, as soon as the start of the 2019 academic year, the Ingénieur Polytechnicien program will include a module aimed at providing all students with a foundation in sustainable development.

The module will be taught by renowned experts in the form of a 3-day seminar on environmental themes such as: the history of life and the planet’s limits, the impact of human activities, risks and trajectories, and change management and transition models.

2. Establish a sustainable development certificate

In parallel, a sustainable development certificate, recognized as a specific course for all students, will be implemented starting next year.

3. Resolve the scientific and economic equation of energy transition

École Polytechnique’s ambition is to become a leading institution in integrating environmental transition into its research projects. The five founding schools of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris have decided to create Energy4Climate (E4C), a major joint multidisciplinary research center focusing on energy transition.

Drawing on the expertise of more than 25 partner laboratories and as a candidate for EUR (University Research School program) funding, Energy4Climate offers a unique international 5-year program for educating a new generation of energy leaders.

This program is aimed at attracting the finest talents from France and abroad, with teaching of the highest standards and several different options in engineering and entrepreneurship, as well as a PhD track to train doctoral students in these issues.

With E4C, IP Paris is thinking global, forging links with academic partners all over the world, such as Berkeley and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P).

4. Carbon neutrality: Sustainable, responsible campus

École Polytechnique is committed to rolling out an ambitious plan to improve the performance of its infrastructure and become carbon neutral.

L’X intends to make the campus an example of environmental transition and a place for experimentation, working with the E4C research teams.

Three new smart buildings are being built on campus in order to collect data on an unprecedented scale, analyze it and conduct state-of-the-art studies on energy consumption.

5. Development challenge for spotting talents and exploring future solutions

École Polytechnique has announced the 2019 launch of a large-scale international sustainable development challenge, open to the public. This challenge strives to connect anyone with potential solutions, or who simply wishes to contribute.

Through this initiative, l’X is eager to involve society as a whole in finding innovative solutions aimed at improving human life. This challenge, to be carried out on a yearly basis, will be dedicated to sustainable development for its first edition. 

Eric Labaye, President of École Polytechnique said:

“These five bold commitments in education, research and for our campus demonstrate our desire to make sustainable development a key priority at École Polytechnique. By involving our students, teacher-researchers and staff in this long-term approach, we are confirming our ambition to contribute to the general public interest as well as the preservation of the planet, by taking this fundamental challenge into account in each of our missions.”


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