Leaders for every occasion (French engineering education)

In France, graduate engineers enjoy a higher prestige and better career prospects than in most Western countries. The reasons for this lie in the educational system. The author discusses the role played by grandes ecoles-small or medium sized autonomous establishments created in response to precise needs, notably in engineering, applied science and management studies. The curriculum is briefly described. The author then discusses in more detail the way in which the students are trained for leadership.<>