Tunisia Polytechnic School

Tunisia Polytechnic School (abbreviation TPS), Arabic: المدرسة التونسية للتقنيات (al-madrasa at-tounisia lit-takniat), French: Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie (abbreviation EPT), was founded on June 26, 1991, and welcomed its first students in September 1994. This year, 50 students who passed brilliantly the competitive national entry examination will be enrolled, 40 from the scientific option and 10 from the technological option.

The polytechnicians will have the profile of highly-qualified engineers with a general technical background, liable to master and contribute to technology, to carry out big projects and lead the multi-disciplinary teams that these projects involve, in a word to assume important responsibilities in the scientific, industrial and economic development of Tunisia.

In order to achieve this objective, they will have to learn how to become autonomous learners. Their studies will involve the following fundamental aspects: (1) a thorough scientific knowledge, as a major basis to their adaptation and evolution capacity throughout their career, (2) an interdisciplinary technological training, (3) an awareness of research, as the industrial development of the leading firms relies on one's ability to innovation, (4) a broad experience of the socio-economic national and international environment, through a good knowledge in social and human sciences, fluency in languages and a good knowledge of the world.

The teaching at EPT hinges first on the necessity of development of the students' creativity and autonomy. The teaching time-table covers only 24 hours a week to allow for self-access to a rich library, and consultation of a large variety of handouts. They will also have the opportunity to select among optional modules, according to their preference, starting from the 6th term of their studies.

Moreover, the students who are allowed to be accommodated in La Marsa on the school site or near-by in la Marsa, will be offered multiple cultural and sporting activities, art clubs, concerts, movies, exhibitions, lectures, and sports activities that will contribute to the development of their overall personality.

tudies Structure and Characteristics

At EPT the teaching is organized in terms and according to modules. Some modules are compulsory while others are optional, chosen out of a list proposed to the students. The selected subjects constitute more than a quarter of the modules taught, so that each polytechnician engineer will have an individual profile, different from his peers. This structure made of both compulsory and selected modules will enable EPT to constantly evolve, in order to remain up-to-date.

Organization of the studies:

#Common studies: cover the five first terms which represent 2/3 of the studies except for PFE (end of studies project);
#the specialized options, covering:
##2.5 teaching terms
##1.5 terms for PFE

In addition, two trainings are scheduled in firms, the first one during the third term and the second one during the seventh. Besides, intensive courses in French and English take place at the beginning of the first two years. Students are invited to take part in other trainings whenever required.

The classes that students take are a social studies/economics, chemistry, literature, algebra, French, and English.

Beside the common studies, the students can choose among three options :

#EGES "Economy and Scientific Management" to train economy engineers and managers having a wide scientific and technical culture as well as a capacity for economic and financial analysis.
#MEST "Mechanics and Structures" an option oriented towards civil engineering and mechanical industry.
#SISY "Signals and Systems", an option concerned with electronic, computing and communications

In all cases, the general aspect of the studies will be preserved , and the option chosen by the student will not be specified in the final diploma.They have classes such a social studies/economics, chemistry, literature, algebra, French, and English

External links

* EPT [http://www.ept.rnu.tn official] web site.
* The alumni association [http://www.adept.org.tn/ ADEPT ] web site (Stands in French for Association des Diplômés de l'Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie).
* The [http://www.eptmag.org eptMag website] : this a blog-like website to feature articles and news for the EPT community
* The [http://www.lepolytechnicien.org "LePolytechnicien" website] : this a forum for the EPT community. It is used as unofficial webmail central for EPT students as well as alumnis.
* The [http://www.lepolytechnicien.org/clubelec/ "ClubElec" website] : website of the electronics club of the EPT.