Academically excelling undergraduate students at the LAU School of Engineering (SOE) now have access to an exciting new academic pathway: Pursuing a dual-degree from LAU and the Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace-Supaero (ISAE-Supaero), a distinguished French public institution that serves scientific, cultural and professional endeavors under the Directorate General of Armaments of the French Ministry of Armed Forces.

Students who fulfill the program’s requirements will graduate with a BE in Mechanical Engineering from LAU and a BE in Aeronautical Engineering from ISAE-Supaero.

Thanks to a signed partnership agreement between the two institutions last year, the program has kicked off successfully with eligible students selected based on their academic results, course requirements and both English and French proficiency, in coordination between LAU SOE and ISAE-Supaero.

“The dual-degree program,” said SOE Dean Michel Khoury, “reinforces LAU’s commitment to providing exceptional pathways for top-performing students, while bolstering its appeal as a premier destination for ambitious engineering talent across the region.”

For mechanical engineering student Alexandre Massaad, the program is “a rare opportunity to merge real-world engineering experience with one of the world’s most rigorous aerospace curricula.”

During his past three years at LAU, he has worked with peers on developing underwater drones and energy harvesters, which sparked his interest in advanced mobility. Through the program, Massaad hopes to deepen his knowledge of systems engineering, aerodynamics and AI in the context of aerospace.

At LAU, the dual-degree program is accessible to students of the Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical, Electrical or Mechatronics Engineering who have completed 120 undergraduate credits of their studies—typically fourth-year students.

If selected for the program, they will then spend four semesters at ISAE-Supaero, divided into three semesters of graduate study and one semester dedicated to a final-degree project, equivalent to a master’s thesis.

To this end, Massaad is excited to relocate to Toulouse, a hub for European aerospace research where international networking opportunities abound.

“Working on interdisciplinary projects is incredibly motivating,” he said.  “ISAE-Supaero’s ties to major aerospace players in the industry, such as Airbus and the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) will also provide invaluable insights into how academic knowledge translates into global innovation.” 

By the same token, dual-degree students from ISAE-Supaero who have completed two years of the three-year graduate program will spend four semesters at LAU to complete 60 credits in order to graduate.

The program, according to Associate Professor and Chair of the Industrial and Mechanical Engineering Department Jimmy Issa, reflects the school’s commitment to offering students world-class opportunities and global exposure. “By partnering with ISAE-Supaero, we are empowering our engineers to thrive in cutting edge fields and shape the future of aerospace and beyond,” he added.

Massaad is grateful for the combination of technical knowledge and skills gained at LAU, especially through foundational courses and extracurricular projects, which he believes improved his chances of getting selected for the program. He also credits his faculty and peers for continuous mentorship and support.

As he looks forward to a new chapter in France, Massaad advised other engineering students to embrace “the thrill, excitement and fear of leaving your comfort zone and home country, as that’s where real progress will happen.”