UTC's Doctoral School (ED)
The doctoral school is simultaneously an administrative entity, a place of reflection on PhD studies and training and a point of contact-exchange area.
Organization of UTC's PhD studies
The doctorate is a professional experience which consists of 3 years of research work in a university (HE) laboratory, or a large research organization or a research-development-innovation centre within a company. At the end of these three years, a presentation of the work is made before a jury which evaluates and validates this experience, granting the doctoral diploma of the University of Technology of Compiègne.
This diploma validates the acquisition of scientific training and, more broadly, of professional skills and individual and collective know-how of a very high level. This diploma therefore prepares students for careers in research and teaching in public or private organizations, for senior civil service missions or for innovation careers in the entrepreneurial world.
During their professional career, doctoral students are monitored by the doctoral school (ED) team. UTC-ED is at the same time an administrative entity, a place of reflection on doctoral training and a point of contact, listening and exchange. The main role of UTC-ED is to guarantee the highest quality of training in research, through research and innovation aiming at preparing reliable professionals able to explain and valorise their skills and competence to their future interlocutors/employers. At the UTC, the doctoral supervision can be ensured by one, two or even three thesis directors, within a research unit recognised by the French Ministry of Research. Thus, the ED is attentive to the evolution of the "professional" path of each PhD student, including in particular the quality of the professional relations in terms of mutual respect, shared well-being as well as the insertion within the unit of affiliation.
The UTC doctoral school was created in 1985, it thus benefits from a long experience in terms of professional support at the PhD level and continues to evolve its structures and its offer, which earned it a very good rating throughout these years. In addition, it is now a component of the Sorbonne University Doctoral College.
PhD level training in and through research for a personalised professional project
Since its creation, UTC has devoted an important part of its activities to the training to and through research. The ambition of the UTC Doctoral School is to integrate the professionalism required by our economic partners in the very heart of academic research with its rigour and creativity, so that the UTC doctoral student is able to think of an industrial or academic career in the terms of the research he/she has conducted.
Teaching, consulting and business experience
Each UTC PhD student has the possibility, during his/her thesis, to teach according to the terms and conditions specific to his/her status (vacations if a grant holder or private employee subject to the agreement of his/her employer, as a rider to the doctoral contract "1/6th teaching"), after agreement of his/her thesis director(s). It is also possible to take part in a company consultancy project with one's thesis director(s).
The corporate world, a research partnership
The links of UTC with the socio-economic world are also expressed through the theses carried out within the framework of a direct partnership research project or through the CIFRE (Convention industrielle de formation par la recherche) scheme managed by the ANRT (Association nationale de la recherche technique) on behalf of the Ministry of Research.
The CIFRE schemes enable companies to recruit young people with 5 years of higher education (Bac + 5) whose research and development work will lead to a doctoral thesis, and involve three partners: a company, a young graduate and a laboratory.
The French national network of doctoral schools in engineering sciences
The UTC Doctoral School is a member of the French National Network of Doctoral Schools in Engineering Sciences (REDOC SPI), which comprises the membership of 33 doctoral schools and some 8000 PhD students.
Contact and documentation
ED Internal Regulations
UTC Doctorate Charter
Catalogue de la formation doctorale
Plaquette de l'ED
Guide de l'étudiant
« Une vie professionnelle, ça se construit pas à pas »
Agir sur le monde en changeant le regard sur l’innovation
Design sonore made in UTC sur Radio France