In order to understand and confront the major challenges of the 21st century, the world increasingly needs engineers and, especially, "three dimensional" ones: i.e. engineers who are scientifically and technically trained to the highest standard, who are also experts at initiating and overseeing innovative projects, and fully prepared to work in diverse international contexts.
Indeed, companies, governments and institutes need personnel capable of creating balanced development strategies that integrate the major environmental and social issues of our time. The ultimate aim is to provide access to energy, water, food, healthcare and information to the 9 billion men and women who will people this planet by 2050, two thirds of whom will live in cities. This is the challenge that École Centrale Paris took up when it decided to thoroughly overhaul its pedagogical programme: each subject is now situated in a global context, taking care to present students with its particular applications and challenges. Such an orientation requires that lecture classes be replaced by a new form of teaching, which combines academic rigor and hands-on experience, raising student awareness of major challenges, while emphasizing individual development and leadership.
It also demands the cultivation of international partnerships, and even the creation of sister schools like Centrale Beijing, so that our engineers will be fully prepared to work in multicultural contexts. Finally, it requires a considerable expansion of our research and teaching activities in those fields that relate most directly to the major challenges confronting our planet.
Our educational agenda must continue to be governed by the conviction that future generations will be able to meet the key challenges of the 21st century thanks to a new breed of enlightened engineers, capable of harnessing the power of science and technology for the sustainable development of human communities.