Upon their arrival on campus, the 156 first-year students in the Grande École Program and the 28 Bachelors in Science and Engineering began their academic year with three days of hackathons, held from August 31 to September 2. This highlight of the academic year, coordinated by Mehdi Cherif, was designed to allow them to discover their new environment, get to know each other, and familiarize themselves with the various facets of their future engineering training.
Discover the campus through experimentation and collaboration
Over the course of three days, the students explored the campus and its various facilities, discovered the educational platforms and activities, and met the administrative, technical, and teaching staff who will support them throughout their studies. They were also introduced to the Evolutive Learning Factories (ELF) program, which supports the transformation of the campus's educational platforms into Industry 4.0 training factories , closely aligned with the challenges of the industry of the future.
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Practical application was also on the agenda with several collaborative and creative challenges. Mission to the Moon, Egg Challenge, building a pasta tower, and a poster competition about engineering careers and campus life: these activities all called upon creativity, design, fabrication, and teamwork. A sports tournament rounded out the program and strengthened the bonds between the new students.
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To envision one's future role as an engineer
Beyond exploring the campus, these three days also allowed students to begin reflecting on the responsibilities and challenges associated with their future careers. One session was specifically dedicated to the role of engineers in the face of environmental and digital transitions, as well as the challenges related to artificial intelligence. Alumni also came to share their career paths and professional experiences, giving the newcomers a first glimpse of the diverse career paths available after graduation. Arts et Métiers .
This reflection on the engineering profession was accompanied by awareness-raising activities on prevention and safety issues. A half-day was dedicated to workshops on first aid, fire extinguisher use, road safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), and student health. These sessions were led by campus staff and partners, including the CNRS, AMVALOR, COP Formation, the Student Health Center, and the Road Safety Association.
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A big thank you to all those who mobilized to make these three days a unifying moment and to give first-year students the keys to a good start to their journey on campus.
