Arts and Crafts

The National Higher School of Arts and Crafts.

A Public Scientific, Cultural and Professional Institution (EPCSCP), it operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Since its creation in 1780 by the Duke of La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, the National Higher School of Arts and Crafts has trained more than 85,000 engineers. The National Higher School of Arts and Crafts is affiliated with the ParisTech Higher Education and Research Cluster (1), of which it is a founding member. Arts et Métiers is also a founding member of the heSam University network (2).

A Unique Nationwide Network

A unique institution coordinated by a General Directorate, Arts et Métiers comprises 14 sites, including 8 campuses distributed across France. This network provides the school with exceptional proximity to regional industrial sectors.

The website

Teaching and Research, Its Core Missions

The primary mission of Arts et Métiers is the initial training of generalist engineers in the fields of mechanical engineering, energy engineering, and industrial engineering. It also provides continuing education for engineers and industry executives. With 15 research laboratories and a doctoral school, Arts et Métiers conducts its teaching and research activities mainly in the following three areas:

Mechanics, Materials, and Manufacturing Processes

Fluids and Energy Systems

Design, Industrialization, Risk Management, and Decision-Making

Why Arts et Métiers in the Chair?

Through the expertise of its various research laboratories, Arts et Métiers supports companies in their environmental transition across the entire product value chain. The Chair represents an excellent opportunity to test and apply the tools and innovations developed through collaborative research projects with stakeholders in the circular economy of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE). Currently, researchers from three teams are contributing to the Chair’s work on the theme of “improving the circular economy of plastics from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).”

The Arts et Métiers Team

Matthieu GERVAIS – Co-Lead of the Urban Mining Chair – Professor, Arts et Métiers Bordeaux.

I have been a lecturer-researcher since 2012 within the PIMM laboratory at the ENSAM Paris Campus. With a background in polymer chemistry and a PhD completed at the University of Bordeaux 1, my research focuses on the relationship between chemical structure, microstructure, and properties in polymer materials, with a strong emphasis on processing techniques, particularly extrusion.

Strongly involved in topics related to environmental challenges, my work is part of eco-design approaches, notably for food packaging, and within the framework of the Urban Mining Chair, with the objective of optimizing the recycling of plastic materials from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), such as ABS and PC, through advanced control of mechanical recycling processes.

Nicolas PERRY – Co-Lead of the Urban Mining Chair – Professor, Arts et Métiers Bordeaux.

Deputy Director of the I2M and member of the Executive Committee of the Carnot ARTS Institute, I teach and conduct research at Arts et Métiers Bordeaux and at I2M (CNRS Joint Research Unit 5295). With a background in Mechanical Engineering (ENS Cachan) and a PhD from Centrale Nantes, my work focuses on the design, manufacturing, and characterization of materials, particularly metallic materials.

For more than 20 years, my research has focused on environmental assessment, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and the circular economy. I integrate environmental considerations into scientific and technical decision-making processes in collaboration with industrial partners.

Involved in the Urban Mining Chair since 2016, I work on product end-of-life management, recycling, and the recovery of functional components to develop high-performance value chains.