MSc Industrial Engineering
Agile Factory Management (I-ENG AFM)

This speicalism develops skills for agile factory management based on operational research methods and production management approaches, such as lean, adaptive and reactive management. Fundamental approaches for factory design and simulation will be introduced as well as performance assessment. At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to model and simulate production systems, to optimize production systems control strategies and to apply new assessment methods based on simulation and optimization approaches, taking into consideration different kinds of indicators (environmental, social, economical) related to agile factories. There is a strong link with the other Industrial Engineering specialism - Smart and Connected Enterprise.

This MSc programme is fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

Contribution to sustainable development goals

Webinar replay

Click here to view the webinar replay. (NB to access the webinar you have to register your details first).

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year - 2023/24

Autumn Semester Course	ECTS	Spring Semester Course	ECTS
Statistics and Data Analysis	4	Operations Research	4
Enterprise Modelling	4	Innovation Engineering	4
Introduction to Optimization Methods	4	Introduction to Research	4
Production Management	4	Enterprise 4.0 Processes	4
Discrete-event Simulation	4	Project Management	4
Financial and Economic Aspects for Industrial Engineering	4	Introduction to Information Systems	4
Basics of Computer Science and Mathematics	4	Strategic Management of Sustainable Enterprise	4
Modern Languages *	2	Modern Languages *	2

* 'French as a Foreign language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English' or Spanish (depending on sufficient demand).

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes

M2 Year - 2023/24

Autumn Semester course	ECTS
Sustainable Manufacturing	4
Multi-criteria decision making and decision support	4
Artificial Intelligence for Decision Making in Industrial Engineering	4
SCM	4
Project and Conferences	4
Shop Floor Scheduling	4
Integrated design and implementation of CPPS	4
Modern languages *	2

* 'French as a Foreign language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English' or Spanish (depending on sufficient demand).
NB Course content may be subject to minor changes
 

Spring Semester	ECTS
Master thesis / internship	30

Master thesis / internship

Examples of previous internships in industry:

• Price forecasting
• SAP Data migration
• Implementation of a Business Intelligence dashboard
• Developing a framework to coordinate innovation projects, Assystem, Paris, France
• Lean Manufacturing Manager, Louis Vuitton, Barberà del Vallès, Spain
• ERP configuration with SAP, Mansa Sugar, Luapula, Zambia
• Project Manager, DXC Technology, Paris, France

Examples of previous internships in research labs:

• Reducing mental-load on assembly lines: augmented reality contribution, LS2N, Nantes, France
• Interoperability between MES and ERP, LS2N, Nantes, France

Skills developed

• Master modeling and simulation of production systems
• Master optimisation methods for production system control
• Master the new concepts and performance indicators of the smart and agile factory

In addition to the above specialism-specific skills, students will also develop more general skills:

• Identify models, perform simulation and analyse results
• Communicate comprehensive results in a meaningful way
• Undertake bibliographic surveys of international research and professional literature
• Manage or be part of a project

Download syllabus | I-ENG AFM 2022/2023

• M1 Year
• M2 Year

Faculty and Research Facilities

This MSc programme relies on the Centrale Nantes’ faculty, staff and research facilities of the LS2N Research Institute and other faculty members from University of Nantes as well as external speakers from industry.

Focus on unique resources

Smart Factory Platform

"This smart platform offers everything that we could expect from a production system: it is modular, reconfigurable, agile and flexible. It demonstrates the modern concepts of the industry of the future, integrating diversity management, total production traceability and detailed quality monitoring". - Emeritus Professor Alain Bernard

► Learn more

Flexible assembly lines

This experimental platform located on the IUT campus in Carquefou comprises two separate assembly lines and is part of a production unit for research and teaching purposes that includes a Cartesian robot rack and opto-guided conveyors for loading/unloading workstations.

► Learn more (in French)
 

Centrale-Audencia-ensa incubator

The Centrale-Audencia-Ensa incubator is an entrepreneurship support programme which aims to boost the creation of innovative companies in the Pays de la Loire region. The incubator is open to students and graduates of the three establishments of the Centrale - Audenica - ensa Nantes Alliance with a mature project (solution, market, team) to develop.

The unique collaboration between three nationally and internationally recognised educational and research establishments, in the fields of engineering, management, communication, design and architecture, provides exceptional conditions for the development of incubated projects. The Centrale-Audencia-Ensa incubator is fully in tune with the dynamics of the Nantes and Loire region thanks to its strong involvement in a particularly innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
 

• Learn more

• Apply online on the eCandidat platform
• 2023/24 intake: applications closed
• 2024/25 intake: applications will open in October 2023

Application process

Application rounds

• Applications are reviewed in rounds. M1 applicants may apply in any of the three M1 rounds, and M2 applicants in either of the two M2 rounds. Applications should be submitted on the eCandidat platform as early as possible, but before the deadlines below;
• Applications are not considered 'complete' until all required elements are submitted. Only complete applications received by the round's deadline will be considered in that round;
• The admissions board reviews applications at the conclusion of each round and notifies each applicant of the outcome of their application;

Accepting your place

• Successful applicants must accept their place on the eCandidat platform by the deadlines below;
• The first installment of tuition fees must be paid by the deadlines below to definitively secure the applicant's place on the programme.

Important dates for the 2023 intake

	M1 | Round 1	M1 | Round 2	M1 | Round 3	M2 | Round 1	M2 | Round 2
Submit your complete application by	14 December	28 February	30 April	30 March	30 April
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by	27 January	24 March	26 May	28 April	26 May
Accept your place by	14 February	10 April	11 June	11 May	10 June
Pay your first tuition installment by	31 March	25 May	15 June	30 May	15 June

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for the first year (M1)

• International students with a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology) or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
• French and European students with a 'license' qualification or equivalent.
• Students must have graduated from the above before the end of August in order to enrol in a Master's Programme at Centrale Nantes in September.
• Applicants must have a good level in Mathematics and be fluent in English - written and spoken. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a certificate, which is no older than three years, for a recognised international test of English*:
  • TOEFL - IBT 80, or ITP 550, paper-delivered test 60,
  • Cambridge B2 First Test - 173 or higher,
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced Test - 160 or higher,
  • IELTS - 6.5 or higher,
  • TOEIC - 800 or higher.
• Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your university) are eligible without passing such a test, but providing the results of a recognized international test can add value to the application.
• Students who completed their studies in the countries listed below are exempted from submitting a language certificate: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, English-speaking Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

*no other test is recognised.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.

Admission requirements for the second year (M2)

Students who have successfully completed a first year MSc programme can apply for the second year MSc programme.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.

Required documents

When applying for a Centrale Nantes MSc Programme you will be asked to provide the following documents:
 

• Your official transcripts
• A CV/Resume and cover letter
• Your diploma
• Proof of English proficiency
• Two letters of recommendation
• Your passport or other form of official identification

Your documents must be uploaded in English or French. If the original version of your documents is not in one of these two languages, a certified translation by a sworn translator is required.

Apply online

Apply online on the eCandidat platform
 

How to use the eCandidat platform:

 

• Download the user guide
• Connect to eCandidat: https://ecandidat.ec-nantes.fr
• Use the flag (page top right) to select your language.
• Start off by creating your account.
• No application fees.

Your application in 5 easy steps:

Contact and admissions support

Master Admission Office

master.admission@ec-nantes.fr
Tel: +33.2.40.37.68.36 / 33.2.40.37.68.51

Chinese students: lichunlai@ec-nantes.cn
Indian students: application@galaxy-edu.com

Fees for non-European students:

• Master 1 year: €9,000
• Master 2 year: €6,000

A reduction of €1,500 for the first year of study is granted to non European international students who make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

Fees for European students:

Scholarships

Pursue your studies

• PhD opportunities at Centrale Nantes - the programme is supported by the Laboratory of Digital Sciences of Nantes - UMR CNRS 6597; ED SIS)
• PhD studies possible anywhere in Europe (international recognition of the master's degree)

Examples of job opportunities:

• Continuous improvement manager
• Consultant in manufacturing digitalisation
• Product owner
• Data analyst in manufacturing

Companies that hired our recent graduates:

• Capgemini
• Michelin
• Accenture
• Dassault Systems

Where are they now?

Read what our students / graduates have to say about the programme: more coming soon

Virtual Tour