IFMA - French Institute for Advanced Mechanics.

Advanced Mechanics  means the sciences and techniques which enable the design, construction and management of advanced mechanical systems.

IFMA is a public institution, created in 1991,under the authority of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It is accredited by the Engineering Diplomas Commission to award the IFMA engineering diploma (Master level).

An important facet of IFMA is the IFMA Foundation, composed of industrial companies, national and regional bodies, etc. The Foundation plays a major role in terms of strategic orientation, funding various activities and events, and so on.

Some key facts
- 659 engineering students and 40 apprentice engineers

- 21 current research contracts for an annual budget of €590,000

- €8,500,000 consolidated budget

- 14 638 098 e-mails transit via the IFMA mail server every year, which is over 40 000 per day.

- 583 computers, of which 58% devoted to teaching

- 132 engineering students currently abroad for their study and internships

- 97 employees, including 27 permanent academic research staff

- 56 Erasmus university agreements

- 190 IFMA engineers graduated in 2012; a total of 2312 graduates since 1995

- 63843 student hours in practical work and projects in the Technology Transfer Centre

- Member of the INSTITUT MINES TELECOM group since January 2010   

- ISO 9001 accreditation since August 2012

IFMA is an engineering school situated in Clermont-Ferrand, in the beautiful Auvergne "volcano park" region of central France, in a landscape of mountains, forests and lakes. Clermont-Ferrand is 3 hours from Paris by train (45 minutes by plane) and 2 hours from Lyon by car. It is a city with a total of 32,000 students in 2 universities and 5 engineering schools, which collectively form "Clermont Université".

IFMA is on the Cézeaux sciences campus, very conveniently connected to the city centre by the new tram network (trams every 5-6 minutes).

A very important aspect of the IFMA programme is extensive contact with industry. Students carry out two obligatory industrial projects as well as internships in companies representing a total of 8 months' experience.

The IFMA Foundation was at the origin of the project to establish a mechanical engineering school in
Clermont-Ferrand. Composed for a large part of industrial companies (Renault, Michelin, Peugeot Citroën; Schneider, etc.), it provides a constantly upgraded two-way contact with the industrial world.
The Foundation's charter:
- Favour the personal development of engineering students
- Maintain close contacts with enterprises
- Take into account the needs of industry in the Institute's pedagogical programme
- Participate in the elaboration of orientations in teaching, research and recruitment
- Develop a privileged relational network between enterprises and IFMA engineers

Financial aid from companies
For the last 3 years, Indian students coming to IFMA have been able to apply for grants from the Michelin company, covering travel, tuition and living expenses. This scholarship programme is likely to be extended to other countries in 2013.

IFMA is relatively new to the "n+i" process. We started receiving students in 2008. The first two n+i students graduated with the IFMA engineering diploma in June 2010, and now we have 2 or 3 per year who graduate.

Our "n+i" recruitment deadlines are the same as for the n+i network - one session in December, and the second in March.

- "n+i" students may sometimes benefit from French Embassy grants.

- The Michelin Company, a major partner of IFMA, offers 2 or 3 grants (tuition, travel and living expenses) each year to Indian students wishing to study at IFMA. This programme is likely to be extended to other countries (Thailand, China, ...) in 2013.

The Cézeaux campus, where IFMA is situated, is a thriving hub of student activities, including sports, social and cultural events, parties, etc.

IFMA students have numerous clubs and associations, covering music, cinema, various sports, motor sport activities (rally, go-karting, motorcycling), charities and even wine-tasting.

Students in the "n+i" system are accommodated (if they wish) in one of the campus student residences, no more than a 5-minute walk from IFMA.

A simple student room starts at around €140, taking into account the state housing subsidy, which all students, no matter what their origin, are entitled to once their residency documents are in order.

Other, more luxurious, options are also available, of course.

IFMA currently has over 20 international students, from India, China, Germany, Thailand, Italy and Spain. Some of these are on diploma courses, others on shorter credit exchange programs or project internships.

So far, 100% of our international students on diploma courses have graduated with their IFMA Engineering Master's degree.

IFMA is relatively new to the "n+i" process. We started receiving studentsin 2008. The first two n+i students graduated with the IFMA engineering diploma in June 2010, and we now graduate two or three per year.

Due to our very high outward mobility level (all IFMA students spend at least 1 semester abroad), we have  long-standing relations with dozens of international universitites and institutes. Around 12 of these have been formalised by written exchange agreements.

IFMA also has 56 Erasmus agreements with partners in Europe.

In 2010, IFMA signed a double diploma agreement with the National Civil Engineering School of Hanoi.