UM . is launching its new industrial engineering program in Béziers.
On Wednesday, November 4, the University of Montpellier inaugurated its new industrial engineering program at the Béziers IUT, led by Polytech Montpellier. The program, which has been offering classes since the start of the 2026 academic year, marks a new milestone in the development of higher education in Béziers and strengthens the local educational offerings in the region.
The inauguration took place in the presence of Carole Drucker-Godard, rector of the Occitanie academic region and the Montpellier Academy, and chancellor of the universities; Thierry Mathieu, regional councilor, representing Carole Delga, former minister and president of the Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region; Michel Sanchez, Vice President representing Robert Ménard, Mayor of Béziers and President of the Béziers Méditerranée Urban Community; as well as Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier; Lionel Torres, Director of Polytech Montpellier; and several key figures from the region’s socio-economic sector.
Carole Drucker-Godard, Rector of the Occitanie Academic Region and the Montpellier Academic District, and Chancellor of the Universities: “The launch of this new industrial engineering program in Béziers is a fine example of our ambition for higher education: to offer every young person opportunities for success and excellence, right in their own community. The partnership between Polytech Montpellier, the Béziers IUT, Jean-Moulin High School, and local economic stakeholders demonstrates our collective ability to build coherent educational pathways, from high school through to an engineering degree. By prioritizing hands-on learning and addressing industry’s skills needs, this new program contributes to equal opportunity, the professional integration of young people, and the major economic and environmental transitions in our region.”
Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region:“Eagerlyanticipated by local businesses, the arrival of the Polytech engineering school marks a significant milestone in the development of the Béziers campus, which the Region is firmly committed to supporting. It reinforces the strategic direction of Béziers’ local plan for higher education, research, and innovation, which we have championed alongside the metropolitan area and the University. Our conviction is clear: higher education must not be concentrated solely in major cities. Every young person in Occitanie must have access to an excellent education close to home, and every region must be able to count on the skills its businesses need. By training tomorrow’s engineers here, we are giving Béziers’ and the region’s industries the means to innovate, modernize, and recruit. This new program also reflects Occitanie’s ambition to meet the challenge of building a resilient, carbon-free industry—one capable of increasing domestic production while successfully navigating the ecological transition. This is the essence of the Region’s commitment, which makes education, reindustrialization, and regional balance the priorities of its actions.”
An engineering program rooted in the local community
Accredited by the Commission des titres d’ingénieur (CTI) in late 2025, this new specialization allows students in the Béziers area to pursue their studies all the way to an engineering degree without leaving the region. Offered through an apprenticeship program, it combines academic instruction with professional experience in a company. In the first year alone, 250 applicants signed up, resulting in the formation of the first class of 12 engineering apprentices. Florence Lambert, president of GENVIA, will serve as the mentor for this first class, supporting the engineering students by sharing her experience and offering guidance throughout their program.
Developed in close collaboration with the Béziers University Institute of Technology (IUT), the Jean-Moulin High School, and local industry partners, it meets companies’ hiring needs and facilitates transitions between technical programs and engineering degrees.
Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier:“The launch of this new engineering program in Béziers is fully in line with the regional network strategy that the University of Montpellier has been implementing for several years. Our goal is to offer programs of excellence as close as possible to our students, while addressing the skill needs and economic development challenges of our regions. This vision is now becoming a reality thanks to the mutual commitment of the French government and the University of Montpellier, within the framework of our Contract of Objectives, Resources, and Performance, as well as the support of local governments and economic stakeholders. I am delighted by this collective effort to support an ambitious, sustainable educational program that is fully rooted in its local community.”
Training the Engineers of Tomorrow's Industry
The program prepares students to address the challenges of performance, innovation, and transformation in industrial systems: process control and optimization, quality, maintenance, project management, and environmental impact management. It places special emphasis on the ecological transition, with the goal of training professionals capable of guiding companies toward more efficient and sustainable production models.
Lionel Torres, director of Polytech Montpellier: “By alternating theoretical training with hands-on experience in the workplace, this specialization prepares engineers to be immediately effective in addressing the real-world challenges of industry. It trains students for careers in production management, operational excellence, industrialization project management, and predictive maintenance—based on the conviction that the industry of tomorrow will be green or it will not exist at all. Three years ago, this project consisted of just a few pages and a great deal of conviction. Today, it has facilities, a team, partner companies, and its first graduating class. It is a tremendous collective success.”
A New Path to an Engineering Degree
The program is open to holders of a BUT (particularly in mechanical and manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, and maintenance), a BTS, and certain professional bachelor’s degrees, as well as students from preparatory programs (ATS, PeiP) or CPGE, depending on the admission requirements. Ultimately, it will enroll a total of 60 engineering students spread across the three years of the program.
Its establishment in Béziers exemplifies a unique collaboration—including at the national level—between the University of Montpellier, through two of its constituent units—Polytech Montpellier and the Béziers University Institute of Technology (IUT)—and the Jean-Moulin High School, bringing together institutional and business partners to provide educational programs tailored to the region’s economic, industrial, and environmental changes.
Polytech Montpellier, the engineering school of the University of Montpellier, trains engineers in seven scientific and technological specializations, in line with the institution’s areas of expertise and those of its research laboratories. The launch of the industrial engineering program in Béziers expands its educational offerings and strengthens its regional presence (Montpellier, Nîmes, and Béziers).