Introduction

A CONCENTRATION OF GREY MATTER

Marseille Provence Technology Park is the meeting point of the economic world and university resources of the Etoile cluster, which includes the Saint-Jérôme and Château-Gombert campuses. It federates over 900 teaching researchers and 2,800 students distributed among 2 engineering Grandes Ecoles and clusters specialising in mechanics, physics, computer science and mathematics. Some international-level research laboratories in the fields of optics, mechanics/energetics, microelectronics and IT sciences are invested in a number of regional competitive clusters.

The regrouping of Marseille’s engineering schools has led to the creation of both a multipurpose Grande Ecole - Centrale Marseille – and a specialised school - Polytech'Marseille. On 1^st January 2012 the merging of the three Aix-Marseille universities will, amongst others, bring together Polytech and ESIL (Luminy Higher Engineering School). Thus, Polytech'Marseille will double its staff as well as its training offer, with 4 new courses of study to complement those already offered.