Flinders university and 4 french schools of engineering enter defence partnership

Future australian submarine

17 January 2017 Communication Press release

Selec.dcns-18Paris, 17 January 2017/Adelaide 18 January 2107: Flinders University and four of France’s leading Graduate Schools of Engineering will today enter into an academic and research cooperation agreement relating to Australia’s Future Submarine Program. The agreement between Flinders and a consortium comprised of ENSTA ParisTech, École Centrale de Nantes, CentraleSupélec and École Polytechnique will be signed at a ceremony to be witnessed by South Australia’s Minister for Higher Education and Skills, the Hon. Dr. Susan Close and the Deputy Chief Executive of DCNS and General Manager of Australia’s Future Submarine Program, Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt. Selec.dcns-14 The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will foster joint research projects, student and staff exchanges, and a new wave of Australian-French innovation and entrepreneurial projects related to the Future Submarine Program to be centred in Adelaide, South Australia. Flinders University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robert Saint, who will sign the MoU at DCNS Headquarters in Paris, said “it will foster an exchange of research and technical expertise that further strengthens the University’s maritime related programs”. “This MoU signed with our new French academic partner institutions, recognises the high regard in which Flinders’ capability in the areas of defence and maritime research. The agreement will enhance our defence related endeavours and contribute to South Australia and Australia’s economic transformation,” Professor Saint says. Selec.dcns-16 The French members of the consortium have welcomed the agreement as a further recognition of the global value of their defence research strengths. “Our alliance has a proud history of productively working with DCNS, the successful bidder for Australia’s Future submarine program. The establishment of this consortium with Flinders University will foster an exchange of knowledge between Australia and France in relation to this project, and harness some of the world’s best research minds to ensure DCNS’s vessels set the standard for technological innovation,” the consortium members say. Mr Alain Guillou, DCNS Executive vice-president of Human Resources and Operations welcomed the agreement. “We would like to congratulate Flinders University and the French Institutions on this exciting development which ties communities for the long term”, Mr Gillou declared
The MoU creates a consortium involving the five institutions, and further cements the friendship between France and Australia. Selec.dcns-1
Media contact, Australia: Flinders University Karen Ashford, Director of Media and Communications M: +61 427 398 713 E: karen.ashford@flinders.edu.au Media Contacts, France: ENSTA ParisTech Sandra Lanfranchi, Coordinator of Press Relations Tel.: +33 1 81 87 17 75 E: sandra.lanfranchi@ensta-paristech.fr École Centrale de Nantes Valérie Chilard, Director of Communications Tel 02 40 37 16 87 E : valerie.chilard@ec-nantes.fr CentraleSupélec Etienne Dages-Desgranges, External Communication Manager Tel. : + 33 141 131 474 E: etienne.dages-desgranges@centralesupelec.fr École Polytechnique Cécile Mathey + 33 1 69 33 38 70 / + 33 6 30 12 42 41 cecile.mathey@polytechnique.edu DCNS Emmanuel Gaudez, Director of Press relations. M : + 33 (0)6 61 97 36 63 E : emmanuel.gaudez@dcnsgroup.com About Flinders University Located in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia and Australia’s premier defence manufacturing state, Flinders University ranks amongst the world’s top 2% of universities and equal 10th in Australia, with a proud reputation for innovative research and excellence in teaching and learning. Flinders has 2,700 staff and 25,000 students, including some 4,000 international students from more than 100 countries. Research strengths include defence, engineering, molecular science and technology, and water and environment. 90% of Flinders University’s research has been ranked at or above world standard by ERA (Excellence in Research Australia). Its high tech innovation campus at Tonsley engages students with leading business enterprises, and is home to the Flinders New Venture Institute, a leader in entrepreneurship programs. About École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées (ENSTA ParisTech), École Centrale de Nantes, CentraleSupélec and École Polytechnique The consortium brings together some of France’s most prestigious engineering institutions.
  • ENSTA ParisTech is a French “Grande École” (Graduate School of Engineering) under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence, providing high-level scientific education leading to several degrees (“Diplôme d’ingénieur”, Master's Degree, Ph.D.) and conducting high-level applied research in close collaboration with industrial partners. ENSTA ParisTech is acknowledged as a leading institution in the fields of transport, energy and complex systems engineering. ENSTA ParisTech is deeply involved in the development and visibility of French higher education, at international, national and local levels - it is one of the founding members of Université Paris-Saclay, ParisTech and of the ENSTA Group.
  • Centrale Nantes / Member of the Ecoles Centrale Group, Centrale Nantes is a French “Grande Ecole” that graduates engineers, masters and doctoral students at the end of academic courses based on the most sophisticated scientific and technological developments and best management practices. Established in 1919, École Centrale de Nantes has 2200 students on its campus, including engineering students, Masters and PhDsCentrale Nantes has developed a strong competence in the field of oceanic and naval engineering based in particular on experimental equipment unique in Europe in an academic context: Ocean basins of very large dimensions, site of experimentation at sea.
  • CentraleSupélec is a top French public Institute of Science and Technology, resulting of the merger of the Ecole Centrale Paris and Supélec in January 2015. It has 4700 students, whose 3 500 are engineer- students, 30% of international students, 525 PhD candidates, 16 researh departments or teams, 176 partner universities in 45 countries, 140 corporate partners and 35 0500 alumni. CentraleSupélec has 3 offshore implantations in Beijing (China), Hyderabad (India) and Casablanca (Morocco). CentraleSupélec is a founding Member of University Paris-Saclay and leads the Ecole Centrale Group.
  • École Polytechnique is the leading French institute which combines top-level research, academics, and innovation at the cutting-edge of science and technology. Its various undegraduate and graduate-level programs – Bachelor’s degree, Ingénieur Polytechnicien, Master’s, Graduate Degree, PhD program and PhD– are highly selective and promote a culture of excellence with a strong emphasis on science, anchored in humanist traditions. As a widely internationalized university, École Polytechnique offers a variety of international programs and attracts a growing number of foreign students and researchers from around the globe (currently 30% of students and 39% of faculty members).École Polytechnique offers an exceptional education to prepare bright men and women to excel in high- level key positions and lead complex and innovative projects which meet the challenges of 21st century society, all while maintaining a keen sense of their civil and social responsibilities. With its 22 laboratories, 21 of which are joint research units with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), École Polytechnique Research Center explores the frontiers of interdisciplinary knowledge to provide major contributions to science, technology, and society. École Polytechnique is a founding member of Université Paris-Saclay.