From 1841 to 1845 : On 27 March 1841, the project of founding this school was adopted to the Municipal Conseil. In August 1841, the general Conseil emitted a positive opinion. On 22 September 1843, a royal ordonnance created this school. In November 1845, the first promotion was settled. The EMA was initially a school created to promote the development of the Alais basin. Its mission is to train competent masters for mining.
From 1845 to 1918 : She became "École Technique des Mines d'Alès". Le level of the education there improved. There were more and more candidates and the graduate students became the chefs of exploitation, engineers.
From 1918 to 1960: The school diversified its field of education but because there was not a defined diploma programme, the number of students declined. Thus, in order to attract more candidates, there was a campaign held for the reconstruction of a new school. And from 1965, a "diplôme d'ingénieur" was authorised.
From 1960 to 1970: The school became "l'École Nationale Technique des Mines d'Alès". Before the end of the mining activities, the school had diversified its education into new industrial domains.
From 1980, the EMA began to admit girls and promote entrepreneurship.
In 1990, other two campus sites were established outside Alès, respectively in Nîmes and Pau.
In 1999, the education and the research focused on these three axes:
* Culture of the entrepreneurship
* Incubateur technologique
* Partnership with the technopoles.
Organisation
The EMA is a public national school under the guardianship of the Ministry delegated to the industry. "Les écoles des Mines", are organised together, known as GEM : Mines ParisTech, Albi-Carmaux, Douai, Nantes, Saint-Étienne and Nancy. These schools arrange an organisation to do research together which contributes a lot to the technological innovation and the industrial development of France.
Campus
The main part of the school is in the city Alès. The students' residence is around 2 km from the main campus. The residence offers individual rooms, double rooms or studios, furnished and equipped. There are also a laundry, a kitchen equipped, rooms for entertainment, a bar, an auditorium, and a TV room with campus wide internet access.
Information engineering and Production engineering focuses on information and communication and is located in Nîmes.
Centre of Materials and Grand Diffusion focuses on mechanical structures and function materials and is situated in both alésien and palois of Hélioparc.
Industrial Environnement and Industrialand natural Risks focuses on managing risks and gestion of natural resources.
Association Sportive : tennis, badminton, horse-riding, swimming, table tennis, golf, escrime, football, rugby, basketball, volleyball and handball.
Emagine, the Junior-Entreprise of l'Ecole des mines, was created in 1989. Emagine is an independent entity, supported by Ecole des Mines d’Alès and its incubateur.
Other clubs
* L'ATHEMA : Association of Thésards of École des Mines d'Alès.
