From 1958 to 2018

July 4, 1959

The “research springboard” is instated by the Guillaumat Decree, enabling students to start working in research directly after graduating from the school.

1970

The school becomes a public establishment, placed under the Ministry of Defense.

1972

The first women are admitted to the school, and a young woman, Anne Chopinet, becomes valedictorian of her class.

1976

The school is relocated to Palaiseau (south of Paris) next to the headquarters of the CEA, the CNRS, and the University of Paris-Sud in Orsay.

1986

The school confers its first doctoral degree.

1988

Maurice Allais receives the Nobel Prize in Economics for "his pioneering contributions to the theory of markets and the efficient use of resources". 

1994

The school celebrates its 200th anniversary, with a visit from President François Mitterrand to the campus.

1995

A special entrance exam is created for international students.

2000

The Ingénieur Polytechnicien program is expanded from 3 to 4 years.
The number of students admitted per year is increased to 500, with 100 places reserved for international students.

2001

The school joins the ParisTech Network along with 11 Parisian grandes écoles.

2002

Establishment of X-Creation, which stimulates the creation of startups based on technological advancements by researchers in the École Polytechnique laboratories.

Creation of the Group Science Project, an in-depth scientific project led by a student group on a subject of their choice during the second year of the Ingénieur polytechnicien program.

2003

Creation of the school’s first Academic and Research Chair in partnership with EDF on Sustainable Development.

2004-2005

The school’s Master’s programs are reformatted to European standards.

2005-2006

The Thalès group and the Institute of Optics (IOGS) build new facilities to the west side of the campus.

2012

Inauguration of the new facilities of ENSTA (École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées) on the campus.

2013

Reform of the École Polytechnique governance, including a redefinition of the roles of the President of the Board of Directors and the Director General of École Polytechnique.

Performing executive duties which he undertakes in a full-time role, the President of the Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that the school fulfills its missions, administered in the operational framework defined by the Board of Directors.

The Director General, selected among the General Officers, under the authority of the President of the Board of Directors, oversees the management and administration of the establishment and the military command of the school. The Director of Academic Affairs and Research is named by decree of the Minister of Defense, through nomination by the President of the Board of Directors after consulting the opinion of the Board.

2014

Jean Tirole receives the Nobel Prize in Economics for his analysis of market power and regulation.

2015

Inauguration of the Drahi X Novation Center, the incubator for innovative tech start-ups at École Polytechnique. 

Launch of the Executive Education, the continuing education program of École Polytechnique.

2016

Launch of the Master of Science & Technology program at École Polytechnique.

2017

Launch of the Bachelor of Science, a research-based program with the aim of opening the way to excellent higher education in France and abroad.

2018

École Polytechnique joins the EuroTech strategic partnership, bringing together the Technical University of Denmark, the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, the Technical University of Eindhoven and the Technical University of Munich.

Gérard Mourou, professor and member of the École Polytechnique’s High College, is the 2018 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics, along with Donna Strickland.

Students from École Polytechnique, ENS, HEC, Centrale Supélec and AgroParisTech launch a manifesto for an "ecological awakening". More than 31,000 students signed it, including 645 from École Polytechnique.

The "Mus'X", a new space entirely dedicated to promoting École Polytechnique's heritage collections, the legacy of more than two centuries of history and scientific discoveries, opens its doors.