On June 24, 2019, to the tune of Katy Perry’s “Firework”– students of the inaugural class of ISIPCA’s Master of Science, Scent Design and Creation program marched into an auditorium filled with friends, family, fellow students, teachers, and our perfumers and executives to proudly receive their diplomas.

The day marked the completion of a 3-year course of study for these students. In 2016, we formed a unique partnership with ISIPCA to create the MSc Scent Design and Creation.

An Uncommon Partnership

We wanted to challenge and tranform the way perfumers and scent design managers of the future were educated and knew ISIPCA would be a great partner.

Valery Claude, our VP of Creation Design and Innovation, Global Fragrance said “We know being successful in the fragrance industry today requires a broad range of interpersonal skills and market knowledge that complements a strong technical olfactive foundation. The marketplace is more global than ever – and that people from all over the world can learn from each other and together develop collaborations and relationships that have important new and meaningful results. We have great respect for ISIPCA’s reputation and expertise and know that together we will build a unique partnership that will educate and prepare students for success in careers in the world of fragrance”.

The Ceremony

The results of the partnership were in full view. After remarks by Cécile Montier Ecalle, Director of ISIPCA and Segolene Prot, our VP of HR, Global Fragrance – new graduates Andrew Everett, Shin Oba, Jihee Han and Eva Niezgodzki all shared reminisces of their three years at ISIPCA.

They recounted the challenges of learning new materials (800!), accords and schema but also the joys of demonstrating what they learned during their internships at IFF. They remembered the magical moment their first year when they visited Grasse in February to experience mimosa in bloom and then again, this past May to participate in the rose harvest.

They spoke about their frustration and pride when they developed their first accords and the floral bouquet they each crafted from accords their classmates had created. They remembered the many IFF Insight sessions that helped them to know and understand the many career paths within the fragrance industry.

The Future of Perfumery

IFF senior perfumers, Ricardo Moya and Soraia Da Cost Silva, in their dual roles as ISIPCA alumni and student mentors, shared stories about their own time at ISIPCA and their pride in these new graduates. The inaugural class drew students from all over the world – China, Japan, Korean, India, France, Italy and US. The new graduates are ready to start their careers –some as perfumer and Scent Design trainees, others exploring a range of opportunities.

Andrew Everett, who is now a perfumer trainee at our New York headquarters comments: “Attending ISIPCA meant dropping everything to move overseas and committing three years to a subject I knew very little about. Yet somehow — at the same time — it was the most obvious choice.  That’s how it was for me, and that’s how it was for my entire class, which felt more like a family than anything else. Even though I graduated I still haven’t processed that it’s over.  I’m still half-waiting for ISIPCA to write and say we have another year left to go. But the great thing about creating a family is that family never really goes away.”

Sofia Gavrill, perfumer trainee at our Hamburg, Germany site, had this to say about her ISIPCA experience: “995 days full of meaningful experiences I’ve gained thanks to my exposure to unique people coming from other 7 different cultures. On October 3, 2016, the only thing in common I had with them was the same “crazy” passion for Perfumery. On June 24, 2019, I realized that there are so many things in common I have had with them; the greatest thing in common is the memories I’ve built with them during these three years.”

Sumukha Kashyap, Scent Design trainee also in Hamburg shared; “"My experience at in the Scent Design and Creation program was one of my most valuable experiences. I loved learning from my multicultural classmates, teachers and mentors at IFF. The program has helped me take important steps to achieve my goals. Graduation was special to my classmates and me as we begin our journey into the fragrance industry that we love."

Shinichiro Oba, perfumer trainee, now based at IFF Singapore adds; “I can’t imagine that I took an interview and an Olfactive Intelligence Test at IFF New York three years ago, and now I have graduated from this program with my passionate international classmates now. My two internship mentors came over to the graduation from the Netherlands, and they kindly shared their advice on the importance of believing in myself. I also learned from my experience at ISIPCA that understanding and accepting the difference is one of the keys in the international environment, and this insight will help me to work all over the world in the future."

We know that each of these new graduates, in their own way will make the world even more beautifully fragrant as they put their education and talents to use.

Source: https://blogs.iff.com/2019/08/meet-our-first-master-of-scent-design.html

School of Scent Design and Creation

    IFF Fragrances Group President Nicolas Mirzayantz said, “This partnership combines IFF’s 127-year creative legacy with the proven academic excellence that has made ISIPCA the world’s premier fragrance school. It’s a wonderful opportunity to participate in the training of future perfumers and scent designers. The new framework and partnership with ISIPCA is an evolution off IFF’s existing perfumery school and we believe it will provide enhanced support to our Vision 2020 business strategy, where talent is a key enabler.”

    “We are very proud of having trained so many of the world’s most successful and influential perfumers, including many at IFF. There is a beautiful symmetry to bringing IFF’s talent onto our campus and offering their unique and practical expertise in this new program. Their fresh perspective and proven success will be a valued addition to our offerings,” said Cecile Ecalle Montier, Managing Director, ISIPCA.

    Mr. Mirzayantz continued, “This partnership breaks new ground in our industry, building on IFF’s legacy of pioneering firsts. We look forward to expanding and diversifying our fragrance talent pipeline to meet the increasing demand of consumers for new and exciting scent experiences. This is an incredible time for our industry and we are thrilled to partner with ISIPCA to help power our ability to meet the opportunities of the future.”

Active recruitment efforts are now underway and prospective students can find more information at ISIPCA’s website.
Meet IFF

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF) (Euronext Paris:IFF) is a leading innovator of sensorial experiences that move the world. At the heart of our company, we are fueled by a sense of discovery, constantly asking “what if?”. That passion for exploration drives us to co-create unique products that consumers taste, smell, or feel in fine fragrances and beauty, detergents and household goods, as well as beloved foods and beverages. Our 6,700 team members globally take advantage of leading consumer insights, research and development, creative expertise, and customer intimacy to develop differentiated offerings for consumer products.
About ISIPCA

Founded in 1970 on the initiative of Jean- Jacques Guerlain, ISIPCA is a higher education school run by the CCI of Paris Ile-de- France. ISIPCA is the national and international reference in training and research areas of perfume, cosmetics and food flavoring. ISIPCA offers: • 10 post BAC training at BAC + 6, Training continues inter / intra company or custom, a platform for Studies and Scientific Research

Tuesday June 5th, we were fortunate to have Mr. Soh Wai Wah - Principal CEO, Mr. Hee Joh Liang - Deputy Principal, Mr. Adrian Yeo - Director School of Chemical and Life Sciences from Singapore Polytechnic visiting ISIPCA, in Versailles.
We are so proud at ISIPCA to be identified as the reference player for training in perfume, cosmetics and aromas, especially in Asia.
On this occasion, the Memorandum of Understanding - MoU was been signed, between two schools, for the chemistry programs in the future.

Singapore Polytechnic was set up on 27 October 1954 in the heart of the financial district, making it the very first polytechnic to be established in Singapore. 
Today, Singapore Polytechnic offers a wide range of 48 diplomas across 10 academic schools, boosting a graduate output of more than 184,000.

This partnership between ISIPCA and Singapore Polytechnic is one of a nice list in Asia, after Shanghai Institute of Technology in China and other partnerships in Japan, Malaysia and Taïwan.
ISIPCA Team is full of gratitude for the trust you place in us.
 

A night like no other

Last December 5, 2018, we had such a great Graduation Ceremony here at ISIPCA.
Thanks to all the EFCM students, the parents and the crews from EFCM partners: Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin en Yvelines, Università di Padova and ISIPCA.

The time has come to review what happened that night, so let's take a look at these good memories.
Let's take less than 2 minutes to immerse yourself in that atmosphere:

We also took some good pictures of the participants and especially of our brand new alumni: it's on ISIPCA Facebook Page!

On May and on June, 2017, sessions grouping about twenty aromatherapists, olfactotherapists and passionates will be trained during the next ISIPCA program.

Animated by Axelle Frachon, ISIPCA alumnus, the workshops will propose to the participants a pedagogy in order to discover the universe of fragrance and food flavours. This training will highlight the pleasure of the senses and the passion of products anchored in the history and the culture. 
These programs propose in particular the discovery of raw materials, the formulation of basic agreements and some workshops around the olfaction, as for example the creation of perfumed candle, potpourri, and eau de toilette.