The CGE: a label, not an accreditation
The Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE), founded in 1973, is an association under the French loi 1901 gathering more than 200 French Grandes Écoles (engineering schools, business and management schools, specialized schools like Sciences Po). It plays several roles:
- Quality label: being a CGE member means meeting a baseline of requirements (selectivity, Master's-level standard, teaching quality).
- Collective promotion: representing Grandes Écoles with public authorities and employers.
- Data production: annual graduate employment surveys (6 months and 30 months), rankings, sector benchmarks.
The CGE does not accredit degrees directly — that is done by the French State (via France Compétences and the RNCP). But being a CGE member remains an important prestige marker in the French higher-education landscape.
The CTI: an official accreditation body
The Commission des Titres d'Ingénieur (CTI), created in 1934, is an independent body recognized by law. Its role is radically different: it accredits the engineering degree (French Titre d'ingénieur) in France. In practice:
- No school can award the engineering degree without CTI accreditation.
- Accreditation is granted for 1, 3 or 6 years, after on-site evaluation and documentary audit.
- Non-renewal means losing the right to award the degree — immediate impact on attractiveness and enrolments.
The CTI imposes a demanding set of requirements (Références et Orientations — R&O) covering teaching, research, international openness, and… graduate employment.
Comparison table
| Criterion | CGE | CTI |
|---|---|---|
| Legal nature | Association loi 1901 | Independent body (statutory) |
| Role | Label + representation + data | Engineering degree accreditation |
| Schools concerned | ~200 schools (engineering + management + specialized) | ~200 engineering schools only |
| Membership obligation | Voluntary, by selection | Mandatory to award the engineering degree |
| Consequence of non-compliance | Loss of CGE label | Loss of the right to award the engineering degree |
| Graduate employment survey | CGE 6 months + CGE 30 months (annual) | Required in the accreditation dossier |
| Survey format | Standardized CGE questionnaire | School-defined questionnaire aligned with CTI expectations |
Can a school be both CGE and CTI?
Yes, and it is in fact common. CGE-member engineering schools must be CTI-accredited to award the engineering degree, and may additionally be CGE members if they meet the criteria. In that case, the school is subject to obligations from both bodies.
Focus on graduate employment surveys: what each one requires
CGE survey
The CGE publishes a national graduate employment survey every year based on a standardized questionnaire. Two main waves:
- 6-month survey: situation of graduates 6 months after graduation (employment rate, contract type, starting salary, sector).
- 30-month survey: trajectory two and a half years later (career progression, job stability, continuing studies).
The aggregated results feed the sector benchmarks widely cited in the press (Usine Nouvelle, Figaro Étudiant, L'Étudiant). Each school can position itself against the national average.
CTI survey
The CTI does not impose a single questionnaire but requires that the school produce, in its accreditation dossier, documented data on the professional integration of its engineering graduates. The methodology must be reliable, response rates high, data recent.
How Terrilink simplifies both
Terrilink for Alumni includes (Premium plan) a full graduate-employment-survey module designed to cover both CGE and CTI requirements:
- Standardized questionnaires: CGE 6 months, CGE 30 months and CTI questionnaire — compliant, no form builder to configure.
- Automatic pre-fill from the alumni profile: company, role, city already known thanks to the platform.
- Automated reminders by email and notification, up to 3 scheduled reminders.
- National CGE benchmarks embedded in the dashboard.
- Exports: XLSX with 29 columns in the CGE format + presentable PDF report for a CTI dossier.
See the dedicated page for the Graduate Employment Surveys module or the complete guide on the CGE survey.
Quick FAQ
Does the CTI apply to business schools?
No. The CTI only accredits the engineering degree. Business schools use other accreditations (EQUIS, AACSB, State Visa via the CEFDG).
Is the CGE label more prestigious than the CTI accreditation?
The two are not comparable. CTI is a legal obligation to award the engineering degree. The CGE label is an additional prestige marker, voluntary.
How do you maximize the CGE survey response rate?
Three levers: use an up-to-date alumni database (self-maintained profiles), pre-fill the questionnaire for the graduate (less friction), send multiple automated reminders. Google Forms offers none of the three — an alumni platform like Terrilink combines them natively.