By request from the Jiao Tong University in Shanghai (SJTU), renowned for its world university ranking among others, and a teaching and research partner of the INSA de Lyon, the INSA hosted a summer program for the first time this July for thirty engineering students from SJTU on the topic of innovation. This program took place from July 11 through 29, 2011. Most of the students came from the School of Electronic, Information and Electrical Engineering, the SJTU department with which the INSA has an especially rich collaboration, in particular a SPE-T teaching programme (Specific Programme in Engineering in Telecommunications).

The program was developed by the International Relations Department at the INSA together with the Humanities Center, the French as a Foreign Language Department, and teaching researchers from various departments and laboratories at the institution: the Department of Telecommunications Services and Uses, the LGCIE, CLYM, CREATIS, and CITI laboratories - as well as external participants.

The program was developed around conferences on innovation, laboratory and company tours, French language and culture courses, and cultural and social activities. The student associations La Semaine Asiatique and BEST Lyon brilliantly provided a large part of the social programming.

During the first days of the summer program, a delegation of professors from SJTU was present at the INSA for the INSA Lyon - SJTU Education Forum 2011. The two events were inaugurated with a cocktail party attended by the Consul-General of China, Madam Yin Lixian, and the Director of the INSA de Lyon, Eric Maurincomme.

* Shanghai's ranking compares 1200 higher education institutions weighted by 6 indicators, all related to research.