From over 900 teams across 140 schools, only 23 made it to the Course en Cours 2025 national finals and CATIA was there to support them. As official partner and CAD contest organizer, CATIA proudly stood alongside the students, their teachers, and their dreams.
This event is more than a competition. It’s a bold expression of what engineering education and creativity can spark in young minds. Through design, 3D modeling, and teamwork, students across France experienced what it means to turn ideas into reality.
Design, Engineering Education, and Youth Empowerment in Action
At Course en Cours, students don’t just build a car. They build a project, a message, and sometimes even a future path.
One middle school team created a bee-themed vehicle to raise awareness about biodiversity and environmental protection.
Hands-on Engineering Education in action at Course en Cours 2025.“Our car is the queen bee, and we’re her workers,” they told us. “We wanted to design something meaningful, not just something fast.”
Across the venue, we saw hot dogs, carrots, and rocket-shaped designs, each one telling a different story, shaped by creativity, teamwork, and purpose.
“At first, we weren’t sure what engineering even was. But we discovered it’s also about art, and teamwork, and bringing your ideas to life.”
💡 CATIA as a Creative Engine for Learning
As the official partner and CAD contest organizer, Dassault Systèmes gave students the opportunity to learn and express themselves using CATIA, our industry-standard 3D design solution.
A student from École Polytechnique shared how CATIA helped him go beyond theory:
“We were trained on CATIA during preparatory classes, but through this project, I really developed my skills. It’s incredible to see something you imagined turn into a real, functional object.”
From Generative Shape Design to Assembly, teams built and optimized their cars using professional tools, discovering how engineering and creativity intersect in real time.
“You don’t just imagine it, you see it, print it, test it. That’s where learning becomes real.”
🌍 Diversity of Talents, Stories, and Voices
Course en Cours is also about opening doors, to all students, from all backgrounds. We met teenagers with no prior experience in design or mechanics, and others already exploring STEM in depth. But what united them was curiosity, teamwork, and the desire to create something meaningful.
Girls were present and visible, not as exceptions, but as leaders, designers, and storytellers. That’s why the presence of Elles Bougent, a long-time partner of the competition, was essential. The association promotes diversity in STEM and engineering education, encouraging young girls to take space and take charge.
“We want them to see they already belong here,” said one mentor. “Not to ask for permission, but to lead with confidence.”
🏆 Empowering the Next Generation Through Engineering Education
As part of the marketing team at Dassault Systèmes, we were proud to attend the finals and connect directly with students and teachers. We talked with them about their journey, their discoveries, and how they developed their projects over the past year.
The energy throughout the day reminded us why we do what we do: to nurture curiosity, to support learning, and to empower future innovators.
And it was a day of celebration:
Dassault Systèmes distributed the First Place awarded to MacLaKing from Lycée Jules Richard! 🏆
And also the CAD contest was awarded to Speed Glacy form Collège Jean Rostand 🏆
With 4,000 students involved in Course en Cours this year, 40% of them girls, the message is clear: the next generation is here, and they’re already building, designing, and imagining the world of tomorrow.
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FAQ
How does hands-on learning improve engineering education?
Hands-on learning helps students connect theory to practice. By building real projects, like designing vehicles in Course en Cours, they develop problem-solving, teamwork, and technical skills in a meaningful, engaging way.
What is CATIA and how is it used in education?
CATIA is a professional 3D design and engineering software by Dassault Systèmes. In education, it’s used to teach students real-world CAD skills, helping them model, test, and optimize their designs in projects like Course en Cours.
What is the Course en Cours competition?
Course en Cours is a national student competition in France where teams of students design and build mini race cars using engineering tools like CATIA. It promotes STEM learning, creativity, and teamwork among middle and high school students.
What is the education of an engineer?
The education of an engineer combines science, technology, and creativity. It includes both theory and hands-on projects, like Course en Cours, where students use tools such as CATIA to design, model, and solve real-world challenges through teamwork.
Is engineering a two-year degree?
Some technical engineering roles may start with a two-year degree, but becoming a full professional engineer often requires longer studies, typically five years in countries like France, including deep training in design and tools like CATIA.
What is engineering education research?
Engineering education research studies how students best learn engineering. It explores tools, methods, and programs, like Course en Cours, that combine creativity, collaboration, and real-world projects to inspire and educate future engineers.