THE GRANDES ÉCOLES (INP-HB)

The Institut national polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) was created by decree in 1996, merging and restructuring four prestigious schools: the École nationale supérieure d'agronomie (ENSA), the École nationale supérieure des travaux publics (ENSTP), the Institut agricole de Bouaké (IAB) and the Institut national supérieur de l'enseignement technique (INSET). Together with Abidjan's Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, these "Grandes Écoles de Yamoussoukro" are the country's flagship universities and training centers. They train managers, engineers and senior technicians in six specialized schools: École supérieure d'industrie (ESI), École supérieure de commerce et d'administration des entreprises (ESCAE), École supérieure des mines et de géologie (ESMG), École supérieure des travaux publics (ESTP), École supérieure d'agronomie (ESA), École supérieure de formation continue et de perfectionnement des cadres (EFCPC). Some go on to study at X in France. The campus is home to some 3,000 Ivorian students, over two-thirds of them male.

The southern site of the former ENSTP is set in a magnificent 70-hectare wooded park. It takes the form of four huge concrete cubes with walkways, surrounded by high arcades. Students are housed on site (nearly 3,000 people) and live independently (with cafeteria-resto, sports complex). Like the other grandes écoles housed in the city, ENSTP was once the best in West Africa, with some Westerners moving as far as Côte d'Ivoire to teach on its prestigious premises.

The central site housed the INSET. The central building, with its majestic entrance hall of high, tiled arches, its "buried" library decorated with colorful frescoes and its aisles leading off into shelves, will not fail to surprise you with its research and architectural originality. Further on, classrooms stand next to large green spaces overgrown with tall grasses. Today, the site houses the factory-school, as well as various industrial and technical training facilities.

The last site is the northern one, where ENSA used to be located. Also known as the "Octagon", the main building is of fine craftsmanship, even if it was not completed to the original design. Today, it houses the École supérieure d'agronomie, the École doctorale polytechnique, an application farm and the usine-école du nord.