Nearly 400 incoming and outgoing exchanges!
The November 2025 ATHENS (Advanced Technology Higher Education Network) session ran from the 15th to the 22nd. This academic and cultural program allows students to explore Paris or other host cities and their rich heritage, while discovering the scientific and technological ecosystem of leading European institutions.
The ATHENS network brings together 15 leading European universities of science and technology as well as 8 major French engineering schools, including Télécom Paris. The program offers a unique opportunity to attend an intensive week of courses at a prestigious institution, complemented by socio-cultural activities and recognized with ECTS credits.
The main welcome session in France was hosted on the Arts et Métiers campus, gathering over 350 students—one of the largest ATHENS cohorts ever received in Paris.
Credits: Bethany Cagnol & Sinead Namur (photos 1 & 2), Arthur Leclaire (photo 3), Rabéa Ameur-Boulifa (photo 4)
Télécom Paris: an increasingly attractive campus
Nearly half of the students who chose to study in Paris selected Télécom Paris, a trend we are very proud of. The 118 students hosted on our campus come from 13 different countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Turkey.
The most represented universities on our campus this session were:
- Czech Technical University (Czech Republic)
- Technische Universität München (Germany)
- Warsaw University of Technology (Poland)
- Istanbul Technical University (Turkey)
- Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)
- Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal)
- Technische Universität Wien (Austria)
Exploring our academic strengths and student life
All courses are taught in English and complemented by a socio-cultural program. Upon arrival, students discovered Paris and several academic landmarks such as Lycée Henri-IV and the Collège de France, with visits organised by the ATHENS network.
On campus, participants were welcomed by the Academic Department and the International Relations Office, who introduced them to our school and the six 30-hour courses offered during this session—after sharing a traditional French breakfast.
The Télécom Paris Student Union (BDE) also organised a warm and lively welcome, including a karaoke and games night, the screening of a biopic about Édith Piaf, and admission to a concert by the Orchestras of the Plateau de Saclay.
Courses offered in November 2025
- Emergence in Complex Systems – Ada Diaconescu, Jean-Louis Dessalles
An introduction to emergence laws at the crossroads of biology, sociology, and engineering. - Formal Methods: Formal Specification and Verification of Systems – Rabéa Ameur-Boulifa
Essential tools for designing reliable hardware and software systems, combining theory and practice. - Image Processing – Arthur Leclaire
Foundations of digital image processing and key algorithms in the field. - Managing Communication in an International Context – Zachary Oberg, Verena Galganek
Strategies for effective interaction and intercultural communication. - Mediating International and Scientific Communication – Bethany Cagnol
Methods for scientific and intercultural mediation, including our « Promote your Scientific Results » MOOC. - Practice in Deep Learning – Enzo Tartaglione, Attilio Fiandrotti, Geoffroy Peeters
Introduction to neural networks with Python/Keras and hands-on model design.
Testimonials
Preparing for an international career
THENS Week has become a highlight of the student experience at Télécom Paris. It also plays a key role in preparing students for an academic mobility or engineer internship abroad, which is a compulsory component of the engineering curriculum. We strongly encourage students to choose European universities within the ATHENS network to enrich their international profile.
In 2025, 225 students took part in the program across the network, including 132 abroad.
Most popular international destinations among Télécom Paris students:
- Czech Technical University in Prague (Czech Republic)
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
- Warsaw University of Technology (Poland)
- Istanbul Technical University (Turkey)
- Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)
Students who remain in France generally choose courses offered by AgroParisTech, Mines Paris–PSL, or École des Ponts ParisTech giving them the opportunity to dive into topics they wouldn’t usually encounter at Télécom Paris.
A strong commitment to European collaboration
Télécom Paris is proud to contribute to this high-level exchange program and to strengthen its ties with leading European universities. We were delighted to welcome students from across Europe for such an intensive and enriching week, and we hope to see them again soon for a semester or year-long exchange—or even a double degree.
We also hope this ATHENS Week will help Télécom Paris students preparing to study abroad make the most of their European academic experience.
Learn more about the ATHENS network
Created in 1996, the ATHENS (Advanced Technology Higher Education Network/Socrates) network promotes exchanges of students, faculty, and researchers among top European institutions in science and technology. Each November session includes 30 hours of intensive courses and 10 to 15 hours of cultural activities, validated by 2 to 3 ECTS credits.
