Engineers in Africa: Access to academic excellence for Young African Women

Since September 2012, EPF Graduate School of Engineering and the Institut 2iE (International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering based in Ouagadougou) have created the CPGE " Engineers in Africa ", a two years intensive undergraduate program preparing for the competitive entrance examinations to French top-level engineering schools. 

This program, available after the French Baccalaureate, often known in France colloquially as BAC, is a scientific preparatory class of 2 years, that gives young African girls, from all social backgrounds, access to engineering studies. EPF and the Institut 2iE have joined forces to develop this innovative educational project, driven by a positive common vision of social, cultural and gender diversity. The training is located on the 2iE campus in Burkina Faso.

Multiple goals

• Satisfy the growing skills needs of public and private African organizations.
• In a context of high educational inequality for women in Africa, promote for young girls the access to leadership and top management functions in engineering professions through good quality education.
• Encourage vocations, arouse ambitions, by removing the financial, cultural and social barriers that still hinder today access to higher education.

Subsequently, students have the opportunity to join a French or European engineering school such as EPF, to continue the 2iE curriculum or join other academic institutions.

Students’ Feedback  

Sénamê Edwige KATTE, former student, has benefited from the program "I am currently a graduate in Electrical Engineering from INP-HB (International Polytechnic Institute Félix Houphouët Boigny) in Burkina Faso. I was fortunate enough to be financially supported by ENGIE INEO ENERGY & SYSTEMS for 5 years. Although the student grant from INEO ENERGY & SYSTEMS was only meant to cover my two years of preparatory classes, the company agreed to pursue the financing until I complete the three years of engineering studies left to allow me today to be at this level in my professional career. More recently, I have been participating in a program of young Engineers, initiated by a British multinational, leader in the supply of energy solutions. My professional background allows me to get closer to one of my objectives which is to propose or participate in the implementation of reliable solutions for the benefit of populations in need. This encourages me to specialize in the field of energy, one of the key development sectors in Africa. "