Université Paris13 is a multidisciplinary university offering university education to app. 23 000 students. It applies the Bologna process and is involved in numerous cooperation programmes for student and teaching staff exchange (awarded the quality label pertaining to the Erasmus University Charter). The university has 140 cooperation agreements with universities outside France and is part of a network of research centres set up by the EU and supported by the Greater Paris Region.
The University houses 33 research laboratories, 13 of which are accredited by the CNRS (National Scientific Reseach Centre) and INSERM (National Institutefor Health and Medical Research). University Paris 13 is one of five French Universities selected by the Ministry of Higher Education to take part in an experiment on the concept of SAIC (industrial and commercial service exchanges, a transfer of knowledge system). Presently the University manages 145 reseach contracts for a total budget of €4 M.
The Institute of technology of St Denis is one of the institutes of University Paris 13; it has 7 departments (Mechanical engineering, Industrial engineering and maintenance, Materials science, Physical measurements, Hygiene, safety and environment, marketing, Business administration) giving technological education to app.2000 students. It also provides special courses for adults in the framework of lifelong learning. Companies participate in the life of the IUT by sitting in the Board and providing practical periods to students; Some company staff also participate in the lessons and therefore a majority of its teaching staff have a good experience of technology transfer and cooperation with companies.
