Toulouse is considered the capital of the European aerospace industry. It is home to large corporations and startups, as well as educational institutions. Twenty-five percent of Europe's aerospace workforce is in Toulouse, and the number of students enrolled in various educational institutions reaches 115,000.
On the 2nd, at the campus of the Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE-SUPAERO) in Toulouse, France, Emmanuel Zenou, the Deputy Minister for International Cooperation, explained that the key to Toulouse's rise as a hub for the aerospace industry is its abundant workforce.
The Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace is one of France's prestigious grandes écoles. Established in 1909, the Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (SUPAERO) merged with the École Nationale Supérieure des Ingénieurs de l'Aéronautique (ENSICA), founded in 1945, to form the current institute in 2007. After the French government's decentralization policy in the 1960s, it played an important role in making Toulouse a center for the aerospace industry.
Zenou noted, "We focus on educating students in the space field," adding, "We also collaborate with organizations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to conduct actual space exploration programs." The Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace is equipped with advanced experimental facilities, including a wind tunnel that artificially generates wind, thermal vacuum equipment for satellite testing, clean rooms, and supercomputers.
Directly across from the Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace is the École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC). While the Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace operates under the Ministry of National Defense, ENAC is an educational institution under the Ministry of Transport. Established in 1949, it focuses on training specialized personnel in fields related to aviation operations, air traffic control, and aviation safety. The campus features plaques and statues of legendary pilots such as Chuck Yeager.
Marc Chouffot, the Director of International Relations at ENAC, explained, "Originally established in Aurillac, it was transferred to Toulouse in the 1960s due to the decentralization policy," and added, "Our goal is to train specialized personnel responsible for aviation traffic safety."
The proximity of these two representative educational institutions in France's space and aviation sector, located just 100 meters apart, is indicative of Toulouse's characteristics and strengths. Zenou and Chouffot stated that various educational institutions in Toulouse collaborate organically, sharing doctoral programs and working together to cultivate talents needed by the local industry rather than competing with each other.
Toulouse, located far from Paris, is comparable to Sacheon in South Korea. Zenou and Chouffot tilted their heads as if they did not understand the question regarding attracting talented students. The response indicated that students choosing a career in the aerospace field naturally prefer educational institutions in Toulouse over those in Paris.
Chouffot said, "In a survey measuring students' quality of life, Toulouse ranked first in France for five consecutive years," noting that, "It is cheaper to live here than in Paris, the weather is pleasant, and major corporations in the aerospace field are concentrated here, making it easier to find jobs."
About 50% to 60% of students graduating from both universities remain in Toulouse to seek employment and settle down. High quality of life and quality jobs have attracted young talent to the city. In Toulouse, the age group of 15 to 29 years accounts for 32.1% of the total population. This means that one in three residents is a young person. The proportion of elderly individuals aged 65 and over is 17.2%, lower than the national average in France, which is 20.7%.
Internationalization is also a characteristic of the universities in Toulouse. At the Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace, 90% of the students are foreigners. Zenou stated, "Many students come not only from Europe but also from non-European regions," adding that, "Corporations in the Toulouse area want to hire talent with diverse nationalities as they conduct business globally."
The Institute Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace has established a partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to conduct a student exchange program. Recently, discussions are underway for collaboration with Seoul National University as well.
The École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile also considers internationalization an important indicator. Chouffot explained, "As of last year, students from 122 countries received education at the school," adding that, "We are actively pursuing international exchanges, including mandatory overseas educational programs in our curriculum."
(This article was written with the support of the Korea Press Foundation (KPF) 2025 KPF Diploma Aerospace Program.)