IESF and CNIDECA

The French National Council of Engineers and Scientists

 The IESF is a federation of 160,000 direct and indirect members from 160 engineering school alumni associations and engineering and scientific consulting firms, 23 regional unions (URIS), and 13 foreign sections. 

The IESF therefore truly represents the body of qualified engineers and scientists recognized by title or profession. 

The IESF’s mission is to :

• Represent all engineers and scientists in France and abroad,
• Promote scientific and technical training courses and engineering careers, especially to young people,
• Contribute to the debate on the evolution of engineering training courses and careers at government, business, institution, and school-level,
• Take part in the circulation of information on scientific and technical progress,
• Meet members’ expectations in terms of services.

The IESF is an independent and apolitical institution perpetuating a very old idea that goes back to the mid-19th century: on 4 March 1848, the SCIC (Société Centrale des Ingénieurs Civils) was founded; its first President was Eugène Flachat, the creator of the first French railway lines. 

On 22 December 1860, the society, which by then had become the ICF (Société des Ingénieurs Civils de France), was officially approved by the state. 

It later played an essential role in the creation of federation bodies: FASFID (the Federation of French Qualified Engineers’ Associations and Societies) in 1929, UASIF (the Union of French Industrial Associations and Societies) in 1948, CNIF (the National Council of French Engineers) in 1957. In 1978, the ICF and the UASIF merged to become the ISF (the French Society of Engineers and Scientists). 

In 1990, all three French organisations – CNIF, FASFID, and ISF – decide to regroup. The formation of the IESF is officialised by decree on 19 March 1992.

IESF – 7, rue Lamennais – 75008 PARIS
Tél. : 01.44.13.66.88 – Fax : 01.42.89.82.50
E.mail : vweis@iesf.fr
Internet : http://www.iesf.fr