Center for Diversity and Inclusion

A strong initiative in favor of diversity

CentraleSupélec strives for a more inclusive, open, and equitable school. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion shares this ambition: to make social, gender, and territorial diversity an asset for science and engineering...

Created in a context where equal opportunities remain a major issue, the Center supports underrepresented young talents – young girls, high school students from modest backgrounds, students living far from educational centers or in rural areas – to enable them to plan for scientific studies and succeed.

Our Ambition
Empowering every talent to succeed, regardless of their background or origin.

Our mission
Making diversity a lever for academic excellence, innovation and social transformation.

A concrete impact

Because inequalities, stereotypes, and self-censorship still hinder access to scientific studies, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion takes action at every stage of the process, with a comprehensive and targeted approach.

From the final year of secondary school to the final year of the engineering cycle (Bac+5), each young person supported benefits from awareness and support programs through various actions.

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For middle and high school students: awakening vocations

• Summer Camp

Every summer, 150 students, 50% of whom are girls and students from low-income backgrounds, experience an immersive week of science and innovation on campus. The goal is to spark curiosity, break down mental barriers, and explore scientific studies.
Discover the summer camp
 

• High School Territory Project

In conjunction with partner high schools, a three-stage course:
→ Meetings with engineering students to discover the engineering course;
→ Visits of the campus;
→ Trades with alumni during orientation week.
In the first and final years, students can benefit from a regular tutoring.
 

• Scientific internships for second year students

By opening the doors of its laboratories, CentraleSupélec allows high school students, mainly from our partner high schools of the Cordées de la réussite, to experience an initial immersion in scientific and technological research.
 

• Tours and exhibitions for middle school students

In partnership with businesses and associations, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion organizes thematic tours, interactive exhibits and workshops., to give a lively and accessible image of science, before choosing your career path.
 

• Testimonies on science and engineering studies

In partnership with Brut, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion gives CentraleSupélec students a voice to deconstruct preconceived notions about science and engineering studies. Through a series of short, accessible testimonials, these videos highlight the diversity of backgrounds, profiles, and experiences.

For students in preparatory classes: removing the obstacles

• Ambition Grande École Program

Co-developed with ENS Paris-Saclay and the École nationale des ponts et chaussées, this program is aimed at scholarship holders and young women from local CPGE (primary and secondary school) schools in the region. It includes:
→ Methodological webinars to optimize work and preparation for competitive exams;
→ Tutoring and mentoring by students from Grandes Ecoles;
→ Campus visits to create benchmarks, allow for projection and strengthen motivation;
→ The allocation of living grants and reimbursement of competition fees.

• Support for the oral exams of the Centrale-Supélec competition

All scholarship students in grades 4 to 7 taking the CentraleSupélec oral exams can benefit from free accommodation on campus (subject to availability), regardless of their geographical origin.

For the school's students: promoting inclusion

• Living grants

Thanks to the Foundation and the Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, more than €200,000 in scholarships are allocated each year: all CROUS scholarship recipients at levels 1 to 7 receive a "living allowance" of €2,000 in the first year and €1,000 in the second year.

A significant impact

99% of recipients report that this scholarship helped them. 

The main use is to meet their basic needs (housing, food), then to reduce their student job hours to focus on studies and finally, to participate in cultural activities.

The living allowance was a real breath of fresh air for me in my first year.

Beyond the significant financial aspect, the scholarship allowed me to feel less of a financial burden on my parents, and to feel heard (and not invisible) by the school.

I think it helps, in particular, to avoid feeling left out.

It allowed me to pay off debts I had accumulated.

• Support for integration

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion also funds key moments in student life, such as the integration weekend, to ensure everyone has the best possible start to campus life.