Studying in Aube: a remarkable range of educational opportunities and excellent living conditions for students.
The remarkable expansion of higher education in the Aube region over the last 30 years has had a snowball effect, with the arrival of new, cutting-edge training courses. Grandes écoles, university courses, preparatory classes, vocational schools… The wide variety of courses attracts some 12,000 students. And, as an added bonus, the living conditions are… rather pleasant!
Innovation and entrepreneurship on the agenda.
Under the impetus of the Conseil général de l’Aube, the number of students has increased 6-fold since the 1990s. Today, 12,000 students bring their youth to the region.
This transformation of the higher education landscape was underpinned in particular by the creation, in 1994, of the Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), a public higher education establishment. Since then, the UTT has attracted a number of prestigious schools working in synergy (see below).
It’s certainly a stimulating environment for students! The Young Entrepreneur Center(YEC – national label) is open to students from all backgrounds.
An “Innovation and Entrepreuneurial Management” chair has also been created, developed by Y Schoolsin conjunction with the Technopole de l’Aube en Champagne (a structure dedicated to the creation of innovative businesses).
The other local authorities – Région Grand Est, Troyes Champagne Métropole and the city of Troyes – are also involved in this dynamic (contributing to investments, creating services for students).
Here’s a brief (but not exhaustive!) overview of what’s on offer post Bac.
Université de technologie de Troyes (UTT) – European University of Technology: innovation connected to business
Created in 1994, theUniversité de Technologie de Troyes today boasts a student body of over 3,000, making it one of France’s leading public engineering schools. Through its 3 missions (training, research, technology transfer), it contributes directly to innovation in companies.
Students and researchers at UTT are working on the subjects of the future: design and manufacture of new materials, object intelligence and robotics, information systems transformed by artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, new management methods, open innovation, collective intelligence, etc.
UTT has been awarded the prestigious Carnot label for the quality of its research and industrial partnerships. It has more than 3,000 partner companies to which it is linked, notably through research, training and student internships.
UTT is a top-ranked school: 5th in the Usine nouvelle 2023 ranking of public post-baccalaureate engineering schools, 3rd in the Etudiant 2022 ranking of post-baccalaureate schools, 4th in the Figaro 2022 ranking of post-baccalaureate engineering schools; 7th in computer science and information systems, 10th in electrical engineering, 3rd in mechanical engineering and 6th in industrial engineering in the European U-multirank ranking.
With its international outlook, the Université de Technologie de Troyes is a member of the network of 4 universities of technology, along with Compiègne, Belfort-Montbéliard and Shanghai. It also coordinates the EU+ network of European universities of technology.
EPF General engineering school
EPF (formerlytheÉcole polytechnique féminine) is one of the world’s leading post-baccalaureate general engineering schools .
It, too, is oriented towards business and research. Since its creation in 1925, it has been driven by a spirit of openness, mixity and diversity that prevails on its 3 sites: Paris-Cachan, Troyes and Montpellier. EPF began to expand in Troyes at the start of the 2010 academic year, before moving into its own premises in 2014, which soon had to be doubled (2023).
The 3-year generalist program, common to all 3 sites, opens onto 10 “professionalization majors” including, on the Trojan campus, “Sustainable Industrial Design” and “Sustainable Engineering and Architecture”.
ESTP, Ecole spéciale des travaux publics, du bâtiment et de l’industrie.
A benchmark for companies, ESTP trains the largest number of executives in France (in Paris-Cachan, Troyes and Dijon) in the fields of construction and living environment development. Since 1891, it has been the leading school for the construction industry in the broadest sense: design, construction and operation of buildings and infrastructures.
Housed in an innovative, architecturally daring building, the ESTP Paris-campus de Troyes branch also works in synergy with the other establishments on the Technopole de l’Aube campus and university center: UTT, EPF, Y Schools, École spéciale d’architecture de Paris, IUT.
Y SCHOOLS (formerly Groupe ESC Troyes): three graduate schools in management, tourism and design.
The Y SCHOOLS group defines itself as “an ecosystem bringing together six schools from pre-baccalaureate to bac+5, three Écoles de la 2e Chance and a Pôle de Formation et évolution professionnelle”. Located at various sites in France and abroad, it has developed several higher education establishments in Troyes: SCBS Ecole de management, Troyes-Metz Ecole Supérieure de Tourisme and Ecole Supérieure de Design. Committed to “serving the socio-economic fabric and young people”, Y Schools aims to train new profiles by promoting “entrepreneurial innovation and social responsibility”.
Institut universitaire des métiers et du patrimoine-IUMP.
An original dual higher education program. The IUMP provides technical training in the building trades, with a specialization in “Gestion des entreprises du patrimoine bâti” (GEPABA), enabling students to become building professionals capable, in time, of managing a craft business. It is part of BTP CFA Grand Est. The institute offers training in masonry and heritage restoration, joinery and fittings, and plumbing and heating.
Université de Reims-Champagne-Ardenne / Campus universitaire des Comtes de Champagne à Troyes and IUT-Institut universitaire de technologie.
The university in Troyes offers 6 bachelor’s degrees (Applied Foreign Languages, English, Spanish, Law, History, Economics and Management), 6 BUT-Bachelor of Technology degrees (Legal, Management, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical, Multimedia, Marketing), 10 professional bachelor’s degrees, 4 master’s degrees, etc.
Vocational schools
Student life: everything you need to succeed (and live well)!
Two student campuses.
The Comtes de Champagne campus: located in the heart of Troyes, the campus has grown up around the historic university center. This is also where you’ll find the Maison des étudiants, a one-stop shop open to all students, where all services are grouped together (Troyes Champagne Métropole’s Student Life Department, the Troyes branch of the CROUS de Reims and the Fédération des étudiants troyens/Campus 3).
The Technopole de l’Aube en Champagne campus: a green, quiet and sporty campus, home to the University of Technology and the leading engineering schools, in buildings of contemporary architecture. A campus just 5-10 minutes from the city center, accessible by foot, bus or self-service Marcel electric bicycles.
Student accommodation.
Student residences, city-center housing, the choice is yours. Every year during the summer, Troyes Champagne Métropole holds a “housing counter” where future students can find accommodation and complete all the administrative formalities involved in settling in on a single site: La Maison des étudiants .
Sports and leisure activities galore!
On the “sports” side, there are a number of high-quality sports facilities, particularly on the Technopole campus (climbing wall, athletics stadium, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, etc.).
The proximity of the 3 lakes and forests of the Parc naturel de la forêt d’Orient(PNRFO) offers a wide range of leisure activities such as beaches, sailing, kitesurfing, DJ parties, etc., accessible by bike via a secure greenway, the voie verte des Grands lacs Seine et Aube.
Other useful services.
Aube Sup 2024 the directory-guide to all post-baccalaureate courses in the Aube region
A comprehensive overview of higher education courses in the Aube region, with the added bonus of information on career opportunities. Available online on the Aube Department website.
Advice and guidance from the Service d’accompagnement des étudiants (SAE).
Located on the Comtes de Champagne campus in the heart of Troyes, the SAE provides information on all the courses on offer in the Aube region. It is part of the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne. Tel: 03 25 43 38 40 or 46
Practical life, internships, jobs, etc : the Student House.
Editorial: Agence départementale du tourisme de l’Aube.