Founded in 1794, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers is an educational institution and a doctoral degree-granting higher education establishment operated by the French government. It is dedicated to providing education and conducting research for science and industry, and it also houses a large museum of inventions accessible to the public.
Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM) – the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts was originally designed as a depository for machines, models, tools, drawings, descriptions and books in all the areas of the arts and trades and it was located in the historical area of the city named Le Marais. With time, however, it has become an educational institution. Today, it is known primarily as a continuing education school for adults seeking engineering (multidisciplinary scientific program) and business degrees, proposing evening classes in a variety of topics. The collection of inventions is now operated by the Musée des Arts et Métiers.
Operating in the scientific, cultural and professional fields, under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education, Cnam has three missions: training throughout life, technological research and innovation and dissemination of scientific and technical culture.
In order to improve the readability of its service, modernize its management, and promote the development of cross-actions, Cnam is since 2010 organized in two distinct schools, each one with seven departments. These include industrial sciences and information technology, as well as management and social sciences applied to firms.
Altogether, the institution has 150 locations worldwide (throughout mainland France and French overseas territories, as well as in 40 foreign countries), with approximately 100 000 students, and it offers 350 professions at all levels of qualifications, as well as 387 degrees and certificates.