École centrale de Lyon was founded on November 3, 1857, when 14 students completed the first graduating class of 1860.

The mission of the École Centrale de Lyon is to educate its students as general engineers and multidisciplinary graduate students in their field with a broad-based vision of the world. Along with a fundamental foundation of scientific and technical skills, the School combines an approach to the humanities and social sciences that gives graduates of the École Centrale de Lyon the opportunity to quickly acquire the competencies required for leadership positions internationally that they may hold in the future.
In an ever-changing world, the École Centrale de Lyon ensures that students’ education meets the needs of industrial enterprises through partnerships that the School continually creates and renews within the industry so that students can best respond to the scientific and social challenges of the future.