École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay

Founded in 1912 and formerly known as ENS Cachan, École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay moved to its new campus in Gif-sur-Yvette in 2020. It is a founding member of the Université Paris-Saclay, a world-class research-intensive university. The school operates on a unique model where students, known as 'normaliens', are recruited through highly competitive exams and often hold the status of trainee civil servants. Its curriculum emphasizes early immersion in research across 14 laboratories covering disciplines from physics and mathematics to sociology and design. The campus features state-of-the-art facilities designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, fostering a multidisciplinary environment for its small, elite student body.