Iberian Engineers in the French Ecole Centrale. A new network of industrial experts and entrepreneurs

Abstract

Since its foundation in 1829, the Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures of Paris, was recognized internationally as one of the best schools of training in the field of industrial engineering. For this reason engineers from countries all around the world have made, or have completed, their training in industrial engineering at this school. In addition, being in this period a private school, the Ecole Centrale needed to have students and this international recognition represented a clear benefit. As at the Iberian Peninsula there was no formal education for industrial engineers until 1851, when schools were established in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Bergara, Several persons from Spain and Portugal went to Paris to graduate. Most of them returned to their country and played an important role in the promotion of industries and civil works. Moreover, they became part of a network of Centraliens active in Spain and Portugal. The aim objective of this proposition to analyse the importance that Iberian engineers trained at the Ecole Centrale and Iberian Peninsula, as well as their trajectory included in the international network of Centraliens.