Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (IDPE)

What Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (IDPE) does

The Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (SIDPE/AIDPE, operating as IDPE) is a French non-profit association founded in April 1937 and recognized as being of public utility since 25 July 1997. It administers the IDPE diploma — a state-recognized engineering credential at Master level (RNCP Level 7) — that validates the professional competencies of engineers with at least five years of experience who lack formal engineering school credentials. The diploma, originally created by French law in 1934 to address post-WWI engineer shortages, is delivered through 35 MESR-accredited engineering schools across France across 24 specialties, with quality controlled by a national jury system comprising six school directors and CTI members chaired by a designated academic. Candidates follow an 18-month evaluation process (dossier review, professional experience assessment, thesis defense) for a fixed registration fee of €610.

The association generates revenue through three streams: one-time candidate registration fees (€610 per candidate), recurring membership dues from engineers who join the association (granting automatic IESF directory access), and corporate partnerships (Saphir/Premium tiers providing sponsorship and tax-deductible donations). Its GTM motion is community-led and event-driven, reaching candidates through 13 regional delegations, an annual congress, Université d'Automne conferences, and institutional partnerships with CTI, CDEFI, IESF, CNAM, APEC, and others. Beyond core certification, SIDPE has launched three programs targeting adjacent candidate segments: Programme HORIZON (for commercial airline pilot conversion, 2021), Programme VAUBAN (for military personnel transition, 2021), and the Observatoire des IDPE (graduate outcome tracking, 2023). A working group on European electrical grid cybersecurity, in collaboration with CNAM and Paneurope-France, extends its research initiatives. Headquartered at 292 rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris, the association has certified approximately 4,200 engineers since 1934, with current throughput of 25-35 graduates per year and stated targets of 80-100 within five years and 150-200 within ten years.

Name

Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (IDPE)

Legal name

Société des Ingénieurs Diplômés par l'État (SIDPE)

Website

https://sidpe.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (SIDPE) is a French non-profit, recognized as a public utility since 1997, administering the state-recognized IDPE engineering diploma (Master level) for experienced professionals through 35 accredited schools across 24 specialties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Engineering Certification

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Programmatic Accreditors (Discipline/Profession-Specific) (EDADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC)

Keywords

• Professional certification
• Engineering diploma
• Experience validation
• Master level credential
• Career transition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: Candidates pay a fixed registration fee of 610€ covering all examination components including evaluation, thesis defense, and national jury proceedings. The process spans approximately 18 months from registration to diploma delivery.
2. Membership Dues: Engineers who join the association pay membership dues. Members automatically gain access to IESF (Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France) directory and benefits.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Companies can become partners (Saphir or Premium tiers) providing sponsorship revenue, tax-deductible donations, and institutional support for events and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Association administers France's state-recognized engineering diploma (IDPE), validating at least five years of professional engineering experience through an 18-month evaluation process including dossier review, thesis defense, and national jury validation. The diploma confers Master degree level (RNCP Level 7) across 24 specialties, delivered through a network of 35 accredited engineering schools. Supporting programs (HORIZON, VAUBAN, Club des Entrepreneurs, Observatoire) address pilot reconversion, military transition, graduate networking, and outcome tracking.

Product overview

The Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (SIDPE/AIDPE) is a non-profit association founded in 1937, offering the IDPE diploma - a state-recognized engineering credential that validates professional experience at Master degree level. The core product is the IDPE diploma process spanning 24 specialties across 35 accredited engineering schools. Supporting programs include HORIZON (pilot conversion), VAUBAN (military transition), Club des Entrepreneurs (networking), and an Observatory tracking graduate outcomes. The association also produces publications and organizes annual conferences including the Universités d'Automne and Congress events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Programme HORIZON: Program dedicated to the professional reconversion of commercial aviation pilots to obtain the IDPE diploma
• Programme VAUBAN
• Club des Entrepreneurs
• Observatoire des IDPE

Products and services

• Diplôme d'Ingénieur Diplômé par l'État (IDPE) State-recognized engineering diploma validating 5+ years of professional engineering experience at Master degree level (RNCP Level 7). The 18-month structured process includes dossier evaluation, professional experience assessment, thesis defense before school jury, and validation by the national jury across 24 specialties and 35 accredited schools.
• Programme HORIZON Career conversion program enabling commercial aviation pilots to obtain the IDPE diploma by validating their technical competencies against engineering standards, in partnership with APNA, CNAM, and APEC.
• Programme VAUBAN Career transition program for military personnel leaving service, providing engineering diploma pathways in partnership with Défense-mobilité, Gendarmerie Nationale, and Implic'Action.
• Club des Entrepreneurs

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of IDPE graduates have prior BTS/DUT or equivalent technical education
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (MESR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government ministry overseeing higher education and research. Provides institutional support and accreditation framework for the IDPE diploma. DGESIP director Anne-Sophie Barthez regularly participates in association events and congresses.
• CTI (Commission du Titre d'Ingénieur)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommission responsible for engineering degree accreditation in France. Oversees quality standards for IDPE and maintains the network of accredited schools. Benoit Nortier, CTI member, participates in annual congresses.
• CDEFI (Conférence des Directeurs d'Écoles Françaises d'Ingénieurs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of French engineering school directors. President Emmanuel Duflos has expressed strong support for IDPE, describing it as 'very inspiring' and advocating for its inclusion in lifelong learning frameworks.
• IESF (Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association of French engineers and scientists. SIDPE is member N°24. IDPE graduates automatically gain access to the IESF directory of engineers.
• CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric partner since the diploma's creation in 1934. Hosts national jury proceedings, annual ceremonies, and serves as the EI-CNam engineering school. Administrator Bénédicte Fauvarque-Cosson actively supports the association.
• Feae-Cnam (Fédération des Associations d'Élèves et Anciens Élèves du CNAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIDPE is a founding member since 1997. President Méhand Guiddir also serves as President of FEAE-CNam, creating strong institutional ties and event collaboration.
• Implic'Action (Association de reconversion des militaires)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation dedicated to military career transition. Partners with IDPE for Program VAUBAN to help military personnel obtain engineering credentials and transition to civilian roles.
• APNA (Association des Professionnels Navigants de l'Aviation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of aviation professionals. Partner for Program HORIZON enabling airline pilots to obtain IDPE through recognition of their technical competencies. Geoffroy Bouvet, APNA President, participates in congresses.
• AFDET (Association Française pour le Développement de l'Enseignement Technique)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for technical education development. President Philippe Dole participated in 2023 congress, supporting IDPE's role in lifelong learning and technical education.
• APEC (Association pour l'Emploi des Cadres)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive employment association. Collaborates with IDPE on career support services and professional reconversion programs, particularly for HORIZON pilot program.
• PanEurope FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean association active in cybersecurity initiatives. Partners with IDPE on European electrical network cybersecurity working group and assists with EU policy dissemination.
• La Gendarmerie NationaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national police force. Collaborates with IDPE on Program VAUBAN for military transition, providing career support and recognition of technical competencies.
• FEANI (Fédération Européenne d'Associations Nationales d'Ingénieurs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean federation of national engineering associations. IDPE alignment supports international recognition of French engineering qualifications and EUR ACE certification.
• Polytech MontpelliermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering school within University of Montpellier. Hosts annual congress. Director Lionel Torres serves as President of the National Jury. Key partner in candidate evaluation and program development.
• Ministère du TravailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry of Labor. Potential future involvement in including IDPE in vocational training frameworks to support career development and lifelong learning.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Engineers Australia: Australian national engineering body that evaluates competency and grants Chartered Engineer status. Closely comparable to IDPE in evaluating experienced practitioners for formal recognition at the Master/professional-engineer level.
• Engineering Council (UK): UK regulatory body for the engineering profession, registering Chartered Engineers and equivalents. Comparable in function to IDPE in that it sets and maintains standards for professional engineering recognition based on demonstrated competency.
• IESF (Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France): National federation of French engineers and scientists, of which SIDPE is member N°24. IESF maintains the directory of French engineers and serves a parallel community-and-credentialing role for the broader French engineering population.
• Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec: Quebec's professional order for engineers, responsible for licensing and credentialing engineers in the province. Operates as a comparable professional credentialing body for engineering competence with similar regulatory weight to IDPE in its jurisdiction.
• CTI (Commission du Titre d'Ingénieur): The French commission responsible for engineering degree accreditation, including oversight of IDPE schools. While CTI accredits programs and IDPE certifies individuals, both operate at the intersection of French engineering credentials and rely on the same MESR/CTI regulatory framework.
• IPENZ (Engineering New Zealand): New Zealand's professional body for engineers, responsible for competency assessment and Chartered Professional Engineer status. Comparable function to IDPE for experienced practitioners seeking formal recognition of engineering competence.

Broad incumbents

• FEANI (Fédération Européenne d'Associations Nationales d'Ingénieurs): European federation of national engineering associations that aggregates credential recognition across Europe (including EUR-ACE). FEANI is positioned to be the supranational counterpart to IDPE for cross-border engineering title recognition.
• CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers): Historic host institution and partner since 1934; CNAM delivers its own engineering degrees (including via the EI-CNAM school that participates in IDPE jury proceedings) and represents the broader public higher-education incumbent in French engineering credentialing.
• CDEFI (Conférence des Directeurs des Écoles Françaises d'Ingénieurs): Conference of French engineering school directors representing the broader network of accredited schools. While SIDPE partners with CDEFI member schools, CDEFI itself sits at the institutional level governing engineering education delivery in France.

Emerging players

• VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience): The French government-administered experience-based credentialing pathway that competes with IDPE for experienced-engineer candidates. VAE is broader in scope (covering all credentials, not just engineering Master level) and benefits from stronger Ministry of Labor institutional backing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sidpe-lasocietedesingenieu1929
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sidpe

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association des Ingénieurs Diplômés Par l'Etat (IDPE)