ParisSaclay

Paris-Saclay is a science and higher education cluster located to the southwest of Paris in the Île-de-France region, centered on the Saclay plateau and spanning parts of the municipalities of Gif-sur-Yvette, Orsay, Palaiseau and Saclay. It brings together universities, grandes écoles, engineering schools, and major research organizations with the aim of creating a large, integrated campus for instruction, research and innovation.

Originating in the mid-2000s as a government initiative to strengthen France's position in science and technology, the Paris-Saclay project sought to cluster leading institutions and facilities around Paris to boost collaboration, knowledge transfer, and international competitiveness. The cluster encompasses a broad range of disciplines, including STEM fields as well as life sciences and humanities.

This ecosystem includes Université Paris-Saclay and a network of partner institutions—universities, grandes écoles and national research organizations such as CNRS, INRAE and INRIA—along with private partners and startups. It operates multiple campuses and research centers, with extensive laboratory facilities and technology transfer activities.

In 2019, the public university Université Paris-Saclay was established by consolidating several member institutions within the cluster. The aim is to position Paris-Saclay among Europe’s leading universities and to strengthen collaborations between academia and industry.

As a geographic and organizational entity, Paris-Saclay covers several municipalities in the southwestern Île-de-France region and is one of Europe’s major centers for research and higher education. It continues to pursue expansion in research, international recruitment, and innovation partnerships.