Source: Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology
Written by: Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology
Photo by: Liu Lei, Huang Aicheng
Proofread by: Ian Heuer
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On June 20, 2016, the First Meeting of the 7th Management Committee of Board of Directors of Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology (IFCEN) was held on the Zhuhai Campus of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). The meeting was presided over by Prof. Luo Jun, President of SYSU. The Chinese attendees included Mr. He Yu, President of CGN; Mr. Zhang Zulin, Director of Department of Energy, Development and Reform Commission of Guangdong Province; Prof. Wei Minghai, Vice President of SYSU; and Prof. Wang Biao, Chinese Dean of IFCEN. The French attendees included Prof. Brigitte Plateau, President of Grenoble INP; Mr. Pierre Lemonde, Scientific Counselor of French Embassy; Prof. Anne Beauval, Director of Ecole nationale supérieure des mines de Nantes; Prof. Philippe Corréa, Director of Institut national des sciences et techniques nucléaires (CEA-INSTN); Ms. Dominique Ganiage, Secretary for Science and Education of EDF-Institut de France; and Mr. Jean-Marie Bourgeois, French Dean of IFCEN.

The committee members listened to IFCEN’s 2010-2016 general report on the institute’s development, as well as the student study, pre-employment, 2017 enrollment plan, Chinese faculty training and recruitment, the construction and development of R&D center, and 2010-2016 financial report of both sides, among other topics. They also discussed and approved next year's preparatory and engineering syllabus.

The committee members expressed high appreciation for the achievements of the institute in the past six years and sent their congratulations to the first Master’s graduates.

Later, the first Master’s graduation ceremony of IFCEN was held at the International Academic Exchange Center on SYSU’s Zhuhai Campus. Prof. Luo Jun, President of SYSU; Mr. Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, French Ambassador to China; Prof. Brigitte Plateau, President of Grenoble INP; and Mr. Cao Guoxing, Former Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Ministry of Education of China, attended the ceremony and delivered speeches.

President Luo Jun praised IFCEN’s rigorous training mode, saying that “rigorous requirement” is best for students to become excellent talents who have both ability and moral integrity, able to cultivate charisma and eager serve their country.

Ambassador Maurice Gourdault-Montagne delivered his congratulations to the first Master’s graduates and hoped that they can continue to build the bridge of culture between France and China.

President Brigitte Plateau pointed out that IFCEN not only teaches technology and engineering, but also cultivates elites who can deal with nuclear challenges in the future. This is also the significance of IFCEN.

Mr. Cao Guoxing reviewed the course in the past ten years to prepare and create IFCEN. When looking at IFCEN today, he feels very pleased and proud.

At the ceremony, the Chinese Dean and French Dean of IFCEN presented Nuclear Engineer Certificates to the Master’s graduates. Invited guests, including President Luo Jun and President Brigitte Plateau, presented Excellent Bachelor Certificates and Excellent Master’s Thesis Certificates.

As the first students of IFCEN, who were enrolled in 2010, the graduates worked hard and actively adapted to the localization of the elite engineers training mode, and they have achieved excellent results. Among the 72 students who obtained their Master’s degrees, most of them signed employment contracts with CGN, 3 of them signed contracts with EDF, 2 signed contracts with AREVA, and 6 chose to study for their PhD.

IFCEN was founded in 2009 with strong support from the Ministry of Education and the Guangdong provincial government, and began enrollment in September 2010. After 6 years, IFCEN now has over 500 students, and has made rapid development and progress in student training, R&D, and innovation management systems, among other fields. IFCEN has established the training model of localized Sino-French engineer; built a high level of international scientific research and cooperation platforms with the French nuclear power enterprises and R&D institutions; and opened up a new path for the development of engineering disciplines and engineer training.

In 2015, IFCEN has obtained accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Institution (CTI), which means qualified graduates can acquire an engineer certificate acknowledged by the French government, and IFCEN is a key demonstration of Sino-foreign cooperation in running schools in nuclear engineering in China.

Over 40 invited guests, including Chinese and French committee members, attended the ceremony.