Created in 1991 (IFMA Foundation), the CLERMONT AUVERGNE INP Foundation was granted the status of a public utility in 1993.
Historically founded by Michelin, Renault and EDF, and with the support of local authorities, the Foundation played a key role in the merger between ENSCCF and IFMA to create SIGMA Clermont in 2016. In 2024, it became the Clermont Auvergne INP Foundation (following the creation of Clermont Auvergne INP in January 2021).
The mission of the CLERMONT AUVERGNE INP Foundation is to promote higher scientific engineering education in Clermont-Ferrand and to encourage innovation and research. It provides moral and financial support to SIGMA Clermont and participates in its management by representing the business community on the various SIGMA Clermont governing boards, helping to define the institution's major orientations.
It also contributes to the continuous improvement of the SIGMA Clermont teaching programs by providing the additional resources needed for this training, so that SIGMA Clermont always has highly qualified teachers, from both industry and the public sector, as well as the most modern materials and technological equipment. It creates or subsidises support schemes to help SIGMA Clermont students, either morally or financially, during their studies.
Finally, the Foundation participates in the development of guidelines for teaching, research and recruitment, strengthens relations with companies, particularly through the Alumni network, and also contributes to the operation and development of SIGMA Clermont.
The Clermont Auvergne INP Foundation has identified four priority actions to support the schools’ strategic initiatives:
Promoting equal opportunities for engineering students by developing international mobility grant programs.
Fostering innovation, research, and entrepreneurship through the creation of industrial training and research chairs — the first of which focuses on Additive Manufacturing.
Aligning engineering education with industry needs by investing in advanced technological and scientific equipment.
Supporting the Sigm@campus project, which aims to consolidate all of SIGMA Clermont’s activities on a single site to improve visibility and operational efficiency.
The members of the Foundation have privileged relations with the school's management, lecturers and student engineers in order to:
The members of the Foundation are involved in the governance of the school and participate in its strategic orientations. In particular, they are involved in changes to the curriculum to ensure that it meets the current and future needs of companies.
The members of the Foundation support SIGMA Clermont's ambitions and development projects.
The project is to bring together all the school's activities on a single site for greater visibility and efficiency. The Foundation has already contributed €200,000.
At present, the technological and scientific platforms (mechanics and chemistry), which are veritable factories at the cutting edge of innovation, are available to students, faculty for their research activities and industrialists for technology transfer activities. As technologies evolve, it is essential to invest in new equipment to meet new requirements for mechanical and chemical characterisation. The Foundation plays a key role in maintaining state-of-the-art technological equipment at the school.
Participate in the definition of the SIGMA Clermont engineer: a specialised engineer with an international dimension, a high scientific level, concerned and responsible for the impact of his or her actions, whose interpersonal skills make him or her adaptable and rapidly operational in companies and enable him or her to evolve throughout his or her career.
Every year, the Clermont Auvergne INP Foundation plays a tangible role in the life of the school, in particular by preparing company visits, offering internships and job vacancies, financing the purchase of personal safety equipment, organising the Incontournables, a series of lectures given by industrialists to student engineers, calling on industrial experts for specialised courses, and having each year's class sponsored by a leader from the socio-economic world.
Focus on ... The Clermont Auvergne INP Foundation Prize
The Clermont Auvergne INP Foundation Prize illustrates the Foundation's commitment to innovation and academic excellence. Established to encourage and reward the innovative, atypical or exceptional career paths of SIGMA Clermont students, this prize is awarded each year at the graduation ceremony. The CLERMONT AUVERGNE INP Foundation Prize, awarded by a jury composed of industrialists, teaching staff and members of the Foundation, offers the winners public recognition as well as financial support (1st prize of €3,000 and two runner-up prizes of €1,000).
To obtain their degree, all engineering students must complete a 3- to 6-month work placement abroad. The aim is to promote multicultural awareness and learn about the professional world in a new environment. However, these mobility periods entail significant costs for the students. The Foundation provides financial support for these placements, allocating over €75,000 in international mobility grants each year.
With more than 40 associations and clubs at SIGMA Clermont, the community life of student engineers is essential and enables them to enrich their life skills. Every year, the Foundation allocates almost €10,000 to support student-led projects of all kinds (technological, sporting, cultural, humanitarian, etc.).
The Foundation supported the creation of the school's first industrial research and training chair, the DREAM Chair.
By making a donation to the Foundation, you play an active part in the life of the school. It is a win-win situation, since you benefit from tax advantages:
As soon as we receive your donation, we will send you a tax receipt. All donations go towards projects run by the Foundation for the benefit of student engineers and the school. Each year, the Foundation undertakes to report back to its donors.
Marie-Claire BEREIZIAT
Foundation Assistant
Gerard BRUNEL
Managing Director, Foundation CLERMONT AUVERGNE INP
