Education in the Hauts-de-France: public and private training courses connect the region

The Hauts-de-France region, spread over five departments from the Belgian borders to the gates of Paris, has made this geographical feature an asset for establishing higher education in relation to the area.

A “relatively well-distributed” training offer in the Hauts-de-France

“Compared to other regions the training offer is relatively well distributedit corresponds to the specific geography of Hauts-de-France, with its many cities”, explains Thierry Paul, vice-rector for Higher Education, Research and Innovation (Esri) of this region.

In fact, if The metropolises of Lille (59) and Amiens (80) concentrate about 70% of the 237,000 students. (According to Strater 2020–2021 figures) several small municipalities are selected with 55% and 14% respectively. Douai (59), Lens (62), Cambrai (59), Béthune (62) or even Liévin (62) offer higher education, especially BTS (higher technical certificate) and medical-social training.

The Northern France region is also home to many international groups, CHU (university hospital centre), institutes and renowned laboratories. Research plays a big role here.. In this regard, it differs in the fields of health care, engineering sciences, mathematics and informatics, transport and even material chemistry.

Three university centers connect the Hauts-de-France region

The Hauts-de-France region has five public universities, all multi-site. However, it is organized around three groups of higher education institutions What is the A2U association that brings together the University of Lille, the Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France (UPHF) and the universities of Artois, Picardie Jules-Verne (UPJV) and Littoral Côte d’Opale (ULCO).

Three to them, they cover the whole area thanks to about twenty delocalized campuses. Additionally, each university site was able to develop its own areas of interest. The University of Artois, located in Arras (62), specializes in research particularly in energy eco-efficiency and artificial intelligence. UPJV, for its part, has a fairly broad focus on health, electronic energy storage and the environment, while the university of Lille focuses on textiles and political science, and the UPHF focuses on European openness.

Eight IUTs and multiple secondary medical studies

It is very well equipped for secondary medical education with about thirty Ifsi (nursing training institutes) and about twenty other secondary medical schools. the northern region offers three places to become a doctor : Lille and Amiens are two public universities and the Catholic University of Lille (therefore private), a French exception.

in Hauts-de-France, there are also at least eight IUTs, some of which are at multiple sites. These are located, for example, in Lille, Bethune and Lens, Valenciennes, on the Opal coast for the University of Artois, or in the cities of Amiens, Aisne and Oise for the UPJV.

At the end of three years of training: BUT (university bachelor of technology) in one of the many majors taught.. This is the route the region’s high school graduates prefer to take compared to the national average.

An attractive selection of engineering schools in the North

More than a dozen famous engineering schools make up the Hauts-de-France landscape. The region is also characterized by a large number of students aspiring for engineering courseshigher than national averages (4% vs. 5.4% according to the rectory), EILCO in Dunkirk (59) and Ensait (National School of Textile Arts and Industries) in Lille.

Lille, capital of Hauts-de-France, also has Ijam (Catholic Institute of Arts and Crafts), Junia, IMT (Institut Mines-Télécom) and Centre, which combines HEI, ISA and Isen. But Compiègne (60) has UTC and Escom, a private institution preparing for a general chemical engineering degree, while Beauvais (60) is home to the Unilasalle Polytechnic Institute with a campus in Amiens.

For business studies, mainly the direction of Lille

Lille has once again won the award for the city with the best business schools, some are at the top of the basket like Skema, Ieseg and Edhec. The city of Amiens should not be left behind, especially since it hosts ESC Amiens, one of the four schools of the Sup de co Amiens Picardie group, together with Isam (Institute of Higher Management and Administration).

In addition to this offer, there are public training courses provided at the IAE (Institute of Business Administration) of the main universities in the region, Lille, Amiens and Valenciennes.

Architecture, journalism, fashion… Specialized schools for every taste

To become a journalist or do political science, head to the center of Lille, home to the ESJ and not far away the IEP (Institute for Political Studies). These two institutes are part of the University of Lillejust like ENSAPL (National School of Architecture and Landscape of Lille) in Villeneuve-d’Ascq.

Are you a candidate for the arts sector? Several art schools welcome you between Esad and Rubica in Valenciennes, Esac in Cambrai, ESA (art school) Dunkerque-Tourcoing and the National Studio of Contemporary Art in Tourcoing. Whether it’s digital creativity, design, visual communication, fashion or fine art, they all have their own specialty. You choose!