End-of-Probationary-Period Evaluation Report

Transcription

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UNITI
IDEX PIA1
EVALUATION REPORT
END OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD
End-of-Probationary-Period
Evaluation Report
Full title of the IDEX
UNIVERSITY OF TOULOUSE IDEX (UNITI) Key words
Start date
End date
IDEX website
Principal investigator
Institution leading the project
(Project leader)
15th July 2013
31st December 2015
www.univ-toulouse.fr/universite/idex-detoulouse
Name, Surname: Marie-France BARTHET
Phone: +33 (0)5 61 14 80 10
E-mail: marie-france.barthet@univ-toulouse.fr
Name: Université Fédérale de Toulouse
Indicate the type of institution: COMUE
22nd December 2015
Date of writing
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UNITI
IDEX PIA1
EVALUATION REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 3 1. ACHIEVEMENTS ........................................................................................................ 4 1.1 TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE JURY'S RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ 4 1.2 CHANGES IN THE PROJECT AT THE TIME OF GRANT AGREEMENT PREPARATION ....................... 5 1.3 STRUCTURING AND GOVERNANCE OF THE "TARGET UNIVERSITY" ............................................ 6 1.3.1) Constitution and structuring of the "Target University" ..................................................................... 6 1.3.2) Governance ........................................................................................................................................ 9 1.4 TRAJECTORY .............................................................................................................................. 10 1.5 OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS ............................................................................................................. 16 1.5.1) Transformational nature and added value ....................................................................................... 16 1.5.2) HR policy and mobilisation of resources .......................................................................................... 19 1.5.3) Research and training ...................................................................................................................... 30 1.5.4) Policy for transfer to industry .......................................................................................................... 36 1.5.5) Student life and life on the Campus ................................................................................................. 40 1.5.6) Culture, Science and Society ............................................................................................................ 40 1.5.7) Construction of the identity ............................................................................................................. 41 1.5.8) International visibility ...................................................................................................................... 42 1.5.9) Focus: remarkable achievements ..................................................................................................... 43 2. PROJECTION INTO THE FUTURE ............................................................................. 45 3. OPTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS ................................................................ 53 2
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
EVALUATION REPORT
SUMMARY
The IDEX has acted as a catalyst in clustering 24 higher education and research institutions that now
shape the Federal University of Toulouse; the latter has taken the legal status of a COMUE
(Communauté d’Universités et d’Etablissements) as defined by the Law on higher education and
research of July 2013. This major transformation of the academic landscape is epitomized by the
approval and implementation of a federal governance, the reorganization of the university campuses,
the setting-up of research platforms, and an innovative approach in terms of pedagogy and PhD
training. Meanwhile, the newly-created Toulouse Engineering Collegium has extended its scope to
Masters’ programs. Moreover, we have successfully created six research coordination hubs,
designed a fully integrated course portfolio, signed far-reaching partnerships with some leading
universities worldwide and shared the tools requested to attract international talents, enhance student
academic experience and shape the federal identity.
The 7 LABEX awarded had already confirmed the level of excellence in their fields of research; the
activities carried out in the last three years clearly illustrate their outstanding added value. In the
meantime, the technology transfer company (SATT—Toulouse Tech Transfer) has become one of
the key players of the site by leveraging new competences in terms of innovation and transfer to the
markets; its role widely acknowledged by the government stands to benefit to the Federal University
as a whole. Toulouse White Biotechnology (TWB), which has become one of the world-class
operators in its own field, attracts many industrial partners and venture capital companies. The
Institut de Recherche Technologique Saint-Exupéry (IRT) gathering the major aeronautics and space
stakeholders has gained momentum fuelled by outstanding regional scientific competences.
Beyond the achievements of all these entities created thanks to the PIA, we have gradually enhanced
the perimeter of excellence with the support of the International Arbitration Committee (CAr), an
entity independent from the Federal University. The CAr has helped to earmark IDEX funding for
chairs offered to top-ranking international scientists and for the teams that have put forward the most
competitive and novel ideas at the international level within the framework of three rounds of calls
for projects.
The IDEX has met the expectations as defined in the project and the outcomes meet nearly 100% of
the goals set in the grant award agreement that was signed with the government. We are fully aware
of the fact that accessing the highest ranks among world’s best universities requires further efforts
both in the short and medium terms and the development of a long-term strategy endorsed by all the
players. Our primary objective is now to have the Federal University of Toulouse listed among the
top 100 world universities thanks to high-flying research and education and thanks to a great impetus
for innovation and value creation. We can rely on our faculty and researchers’ expertise that we
really want to bring to the highest level; we can also take advantage of the multidisciplinary nature
of the Federal University which acts as a differentiating element to be further explored in order to
structure our strategic actions and better embrace the concept of inter-disciplinarity.
Benchmarking with the Pennsylvania State University should be of great value due to the similarities
with the Federal University of Toulouse in terms of size and geographical deployment; the
organization centred around interdisciplinary institutes is a common feature to both institutions and
should be a valuable asset to reach the best international level in major fields.
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IDEX PIA1
1. ACHIEVEMENTS
1.1 TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE JURY'S RECOMMENDATIONS
With regard to the jury's recommendations on the site transformation and merger process, the final
file, as formalized with the French government, modified the legal structure of the Target
University, which entailed a change to the measurable milestones (see section 1.2).
Jury’s recommendation
Response given
Any commitment(s) made
accordingly
Milestones defined and modified
Identify the measurable
Measurable milestones defined
based on the progress of the
milestones for the first phase of
(see appendix 4 of the grant
transformation project (see
the transformation process
award agreement).
section 1.2).
Obtain commitments
supporting the merger into an
integrated university from the
constituent partners by means
of a binding charter before
2013.
The integrated university project
has become a project to develop
a Federal University with
The statutes of the Federal
individual and shared
University were adopted by all
competences (see sections 1.2
of the members in July 2014.
and 1.3). It is founded on the
principle of subsidiarity.
Formally establish Toulouse
Tech before 2013
Structure in place and first
Toulouse Tech was replaced by projects started in 2013.
Consortium agreement between
Toulouse Engineering
Collegium, established in 2013 the on-site engineering Grandes
with a scope extended to include Ecoles, University Paul Sabatier
and the Institut National
Masters-level engineering
Universitaire J.F. Champollion
courses.
signed in November 2015.
Structure: Six research hubs
will be established to direct and
support the research strategy.
Continue exploring possible
means of strengthening the
scientific foundation beyond the
Leverage effect: Obtain coLABEX and EQUIPEX calls
funding of up to €2 million
for projects
(industry / local authorities /
major bodies / foundations /
ANR / Europe).
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IDEX PIA1
1.2 CHANGES IN THE PROJECT AT THE TIME OF GRANT
AGREEMENT PREPARATION
The IDEX partners chose to change the structure of the Target University to a Federal University
structure. This decision took into account the new provisions of the French law on higher education
and research passed on 22 July 2013 and aims to federate all of the higher education and research
stakeholders on the Toulouse site and in the Midi-Pyrénées region, and to ensure the full
integration of the major national research bodies, which play a key role on the site. The site
stakeholders have been meeting in three bodies (a Comité de Concertation de Site and two working
groups) since 2012 in order to agree on the competences and governance of the target University and
the implementation of the IDEX programmes.
At the same time, the IDEX partners have reaffirmed their desire to be drivers in developing
excellence in all of the site’s disciplines, particularly through the implementation of IDEX
programmes. While the scope of excellence has expanded, the objective of maintaining very high
implementation standards and encouraging as many members of the Federal University as possible
towards excellence remain unchanged.
Application
Grant award agreement
Reasons for differences
1. Support of the entire regional
scientific community;
Institutional objective:
Incremental process to achieve
a merged university in 2018
Federal University.
2. This type of structure can include the
national research organizations that
have a strong presence on the site and
that cannot merge at site level;
4. Preservation of responsiveness,
diversity and experimentation;
3. Legislative changes (July 2013).
- UT* certification
abandoned.
- Initial scope defined by
LABEX and IDEFI.
Creation of a scope of research
and education excellence: UT*
Initial scope defined by the
LABEX, IDEFI and
internationally certified
courses. Scope to be extended based on
an external scientific evaluation
group (UT* certification)
- A scalable scope
including all teams that
benefit from IDEX
programme funding.
To measure excellence
through having projects
selected by an
international and
independent Arbitration
Committee (CAr).
5
To allow the implementation of a
dynamic scope of excellence and focus
resources on research and education
programmes that are open to the entire
site and assessed according to the
highest international standards of
excellence.
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
Application
Clustering all of the
engineering Grandes Ecoles on
the site in the Toulouse Tech
college, with the ultimate goal
of creating a Grand
Etablissement in 2016, the
fourth major step towards
merging the university, planned
for 2018.
Grant award agreement
To create a transversal
education hub, the
Collegium Toulouse
Ingénierie (Toulouse
Engineering Collegium)
with a larger scope,
including the Masters
programmes in
engineering offered by the
universities.
Reasons for differences
To ensure consistency with the main
objectives and the structure of the
Federal University, while maintaining
the ambition to develop high-level
engineering programmes.
To strengthen the ties and synergies
between the different engineering
Grandes Ecoles and universities and,
in particular, to expand the interestablishment cooperation that is
already present in research to initial
and continuing education.
1.3 STRUCTURING AND GOVERNANCE OF THE "TARGET
UNIVERSITY"
1.3.1) Constitution and structuring of the "Target University"
Has the "Target University" been created or is it in the process of
being created?
The Federal University of Toulouse was created by ministerial order in June 2015. The unique
feature of the Toulouse project is to establish a single perimeter including the Federal University, the
IDEX project, the Technology Transfer Company (SATT) and the involvement of other PIA entities
(the Institute of Technology Antoine de Saint Exupéry—IRT—, Toulouse White Biotechnology —
TWB—, etc.), as well as business partners, local and regional authorities and the French
government. This enables a high level of consistency in decision-making and the creation of
partnerships. The achievements of 2013-2014 led to the definition of three strategic objectives for
the target university:
-‐‑ To enhance the site’s attractiveness and international visibility among top researchers, students
and socio-economic stakeholders;
-
To develop a transversal approach both in research and education to respond to the scientific
challenges of tomorrow, to help society make informed decisions as it faces those challenges,
and to upgrade the exceptional multi-disciplinary potential of our site (10,000 faculty and
researchers);
-
To strengthen the socio-economic impact of the academic site through common resources
(SATT) and solid partnerships with the business community (IRT).
In addition to these three objectives, the project has a strong focus on pooling human, technical and
financial resources in order to gain the efficiency needed. This approach has already helped develop
highly productive operations which were previously impossible for an institution acting alone to
achieve, such as the Plan Campus, the IDEX, SATT, international permanent offices in China,
Indonesia and Brazil, the Ecole des Docteurs (School of Doctors) or even the Welcome Desk.
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IDEX PIA1
The members have thus converged around a common ambition: to make the Federal University a
globally recognised research university. The IDEX programmes are at the heart of this ambition.
In line with this ambition and their objectives, the members of the Federal University of Toulouse
have created the Council of Members, the executive body which governs the Federal University, and
have already voted on the statutes, the internal regulations, and agreements between the Federal
University and the associated institutions. The Board of Directors and the Academic Council will be
set up in early 2016. This institutional trajectory has already made it possible to participate in
structuring higher education and research on the site through 10 major actions, which are detailed in
Part 1.3.2 of this document.
What institutional changes have taken place over the 4 years?
The Federal University of Toulouse, as stated in the IDEX grant award agreement signed on 15 July
2013, comprises the 18 higher education and research institutions (Universities and Grandes Ecoles)
in the Midi-Pyrénées region and the five national research organisations. It is based on the COMUE
model defined by the French law dated 22 July 2013 and has a sui generis legal status. The different
institutions which make up the Federal University are divided into three categories: members,
associates and partners. The rights and responsibilities of these three categories are defined in the
Federal University’s statutes.
The Council of Members, which meets every week, is the Federation’s executive body. It is made
up of the seven members (four universities, two Grandes Ecoles and one national research
organisation). It examines, decides on and makes proposals to the Board of Directors for all of the
Federation’s actions. A representative from the partner research organizations and two
representatives from the associated institutions are also invited. Decisions are made by a simple or
qualified majority vote.
The Board of Directors is the Federation's legislative body, and amongst other rights, vote on the
budget. It comprises representatives of the four academic sectors which structure the site: Human
and Social Sciences; Law, Economics and Management; Sciences and Health; Engineering. Its
decisions are made by a simple majority vote, with some exceptions laid out in the statutes.
The Academic Council is an advisory body which represents the stakeholders directly involved in
education and research. It advises the Board of Directors, in particular, on i) shared strategy in the
areas of research, education, technology transfer and campus life; ii) plans to improve student life
and social promotion in the region; (iii) the common chapter of the five-year contract (contrat
quinquennal); iv) the procedures for exercising the Federal University's powers.
The Federal University governance bodies receive support in managing the IDEX from the IDEX
steering bodies, including the Steering Committee and the CAr (described in 1.3.2); the latter
retains complete autonomy to implement the excellence strategy.
What competences are already exercised jointly?
The shared competences and the competences already transferred to the Target University are
defined in a list included in its statutes. The competences jointly exercised fall under a collaborative
decision-making process managed by the Federal University bodies.
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IDEX PIA1
They are steered by the Bureaux des Départements (Departments Boards) which reports to the
Federal University's decision-making bodies. As an example, below are ten jointly-exercised
competences which are particularly productive in the areas of research, education, international
development and human resources:
-‐
Creation of a single Université de Toulouse label for PhDs awarded by certified members and
associates;
-‐
Introduction of a single signature for publications: Université de Toulouse;
-‐
Development of joint strategies for heavy investments (research and education facilities, digital
services, etc.);
-‐
Management of shared research platforms, including the joint service units (Unités Mixtes de
Service —UMS);
-‐
Advice, support and training in educational methods for faculty;
-‐
Entrepreneurship-related actions, including the award of the student-entrepreneur certification;
-‐
Promotion of the University in France and internationally;
-‐
Creation of a European projects office, to help researchers filing E.U. funded projects
applications;
-‐
Handling of Chaires d’attractivité (Chairs to increase the university’s attractiveness);
-‐
Resources for doctoral programmes, namely the distribution of part of the PhD grants;
-‐
Dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge and culture, including the publishing of a
quarterly science magazine.
What competences are effectively transferred to the "Target University"?
As an example, thirteen of the competences transferred to the Federal University are:
-‐
IDEX implementation;
-‐
Management of funding programmes for higher education or research, and related actions
governed by global agreements;
-‐
Development and implementation of the common chapter of the 5-year site contract with the
French government (contrat quinquennal);
-‐
Coordination of the site research strategy;
-‐
Coordination of the educational strategy for the Masters and Doctorate levels, enhancement of the
course portfolio;
-‐
Definition of a coordinated strategy on the information and professional guidance initiatives;
-‐
Coordination of a site-wide technology transfer and valorization strategy;
-‐
Coordination and implementation of the site's international development strategy and
management of the European projects office;
-‐
Coordination of engineering education programmes;
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IDEX PIA1
-‐
Development of a policy and project to improve the quality of student life and social promotion,
in partnership with CROUS;
-‐
Running of a single students Welcome Desk;
-‐
Representation of the site in the main development structures, such as the SATT and the IRT;
-‐
Territorial coordination of the 11 university campuses in the region.
Will these competences be enhanced in the future?
The Federal University and its members have agreed on the principle of subsidiarity as a crucial
organizational principle aimed at strengthening competences already transferred and/or at
transferring new competences.
1.3.2) Governance
What changes have taken place with regard to project governance
(and site governance if they are separate)?
IDEX governance rests on two independent pillars: the management bodies led by the partners
(steering committee, departments, and hubs) and the CAr, which is a structure intentionally
independent from the site stakeholders.
The IDEX steering committee is made up of the Federal University’s Council of Members,
supplemented by three partner research organizations (INRA, INSERM and IRD). The CAr is solely
responsible for selecting IDEX research projects (Chaires d’attractivité, Transversalité,
Emergence, Actions Thématiques Stratégiques —ATS—). The CAr was created when the IDEX grant
award agreement was signed in July 2013 (see 1.5.2 for the operations and appointment of the CAr).
The IDEX is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Federal University and organised in four
departments: Research, Doctoral studies and Valorization (DRDV); Education and Student Life
(DFVE); European and International Relations (DREI); Network of Campuses in the region
(DRSU).
The overall consistency between IDEX, other PIA projects and the actions of University members is
guaranteed by the four departments and by the research and cross-disciplinary education hubs
created by the University. The heads of the research labs are organized in six different research hubs
(see 1.5.3) and contribute to the work of the Academic Council, and to the definition of the scientific
strategy, both upstream (state-of-the-art and prospective studies), and downstream (proposals on
necessary resources, scientific outreach, etc.). Four cross-disciplinary education hubs, the Ecole des
Docteurs, the Toulouse Engineering collegium, the federation of the Instituts Universitaires de
Technologie (IUTs), and the Health sciences have been established or are in the process of being
established.
The Federal University has drawn up a strategic project for the site's five-year contract for the
2016-2020 period, which has been signed with the French government. The contract lays out the
six strategic objectives. It also describes the link between the site’s strategy and the IDEX and
defines how the latter acts as a major lever for achieving these goals.
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IDEX PIA1
What are the main decisions taken jointly by the governing bodies
in place?
Below are the ten key decisions that have a major impact on the site’s structure:
-‐‑
A single contractual arrangement between the Federal University and several stakeholders: the
five-year site contract with the French government, the contract with the local authorities, the site
agreement with the CNRS, and the partnership agreement with the INRA, INSERM and the IRD;
-‐‑
The development of a site research strategy focused on four areas implying major economic or
social challenges around eight major topics and six research hubs;
-‐‑
The choice of a single signature and the request for international rankings;
-‐‑
The coordination of the Masters and PhD integrated course offer;
-‐‑
The creation of an integrated PhD structure: coordination between the doctoral schools, a
common core provided through the Ecole des docteurs, and the Université de Toulouse PhD
label;
-‐‑
The creation of a Federal University observatory which defines performance indicators in
research, education, innovation and international development across the site;
-‐‑
The introduction of education hubs centred around the three universities, and Toulouse
Engineering Collegium;
-‐‑
Empowering the SATT, a common research valorization tool, which has signed a contract with
all of the members of the Federal University;
-‐‑
Designing a common strategy for international operations through the Federal University's
overseas offices and strategic partnerships with the top 150 ARWU universities;
-‐‑
Shaping the federal identity by establishing a Welcome Desk for the whole community,
providing all staff and students with a University of Toulouse pass, and circulating a quarterly
science magazine.
1.4 TRAJECTORY
As a reminder, the IDEX actions presented in the following table are part of the site project strategy,
namely developing the site’s attractiveness, enhancing the transversal scope of research and
education, and increasing its socio-economic impact as follows:
-
The attractiveness of research and education teams, as illustrated by the following
programmes: Chaires d’attactivité, Emergence, Equipement, Toul'Box, Innovation en Licence
(undergraduate innovation), Formation pluridisciplinaire, Formation en Ingénierie and Ecole des
Docteurs.
-
Transversality, which involves ATS, Transversalité, and Formation pluridisciplinaire.
-
The impact on the regional and national business community involves the ATS, SATT, TWB
and lifelong learning actions. The ATS programme has already provided funding to 33
fundamental research projects that are directly linked to the challenges of socio-economic
innovation.
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IDEX PIA1
-
In addition to these three objectives, IDEX programmes have provided access to additional
public and private funding at a national and international level as stated below: IDEX
actions: Equipement,, Chaires d’attactivité, ATS, European projects office. The latter has helped
launch 12 European projects with 4 funded projects (FABSPACE 2.0 / EBROS 2020 / COFUND
PRESTIGE / La nuit des chercheurs) and 7 still pending. The Transversalité programme has
helped gain €600,000 in additional funding from the CNRS. The Equipement action has cofinanced 27 pieces of scientific equipment for a total of €13.4 million, provided partly by the
IDEX, CPER plus €1.4 million in additional public and private funding from Airbus, Total, the
regional authorities and national research organisations.
Note: the commitments in Appendix 4 were based on four full financial years, which have been
reduced to three since drafting this appendix. The achievement scale for the table below is therefore
based on three financial years.
Chaires
d’attractivité
Operational Commitment
Creation of
selected chairs.
100
Calls for
projects
planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
Any difficulties
Explanation for the level
of achievement and for
any divergences
Time requested to draw
up customized funding
agreements suited to
each laureates’ situation,
to the commitments
made and to the rules of
each supporting
institution.
The programme was
completed according to the
principles set out in the
Delta document.
100
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
Due to the very broad
spectrum of scientific
fields covered, numerous
interview were
conducted with a large
number of stakeholders
to identify the needs.
100
Calls for
projects
planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
The first calls for
projects were very
targeted and attracted
very good projects
meeting the criteria.
ATS
Creation of the
programming
committees.
Scale of
achieveme
nt (%) Initially
planned
date of
achievemen
t
Project selection
by the CAr.
11
Gradual involvement of
the LABEX, TWB and
CAPTOR (PIA project)
management teams and of
two foundations in
addition to the
commitments made
(representatives from
competitiveness clusters,
regional authorities,
member institutions etc.).
Modification of the call for
projects after reviewing
the responses to the first
two calls for projects in
order to generate
additional transdisciplinary input.
Objective reached, with 3
times more projects tabled
in 2015 than in 2014.
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
Funding of the
selected
projects.
Emergence / Transversalités
Publication of
the call for
projects.
Projects
selected by the
CAr.
Funding of the
selected
projects.
100
100
100
100
Calls for
projects
planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
Funding for the projects
is subject to an
agreement between the
Federal University and a
member or associate,
making it possible to set
out the lightest possible
terms for payment and
justification of expenses.
Calls for
projects
planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
Calls for
projects
planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
Calls for
projects
planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
12
This call for projects has
garnered a high level of
interest from the site's
research community.
A particularly large
number of projects
which were deemed
excellent could not be
funded directly by the
IDEX.
Project funding is subject
to an agreement between
the Federal University
and a member or
associate, making it
possible to set out the
lightest possible terms
for payment and
justification of expenses.
In 2014, the CAr asked the
Federal University to
shortlist projects through
the Research Department
on the basis of reports by
external experts. A widely
appreciated procedure that
the CAr has asked the site
to repeat in 2015 for all
calls for projects.
Some institutions have
designed a funding scheme
for some Emergence
projects which were
deemed excellent or very
good but could not be
funded through the IDEX.
The €600,000
unconditional funding
provided by CNRS helped
increase the number of
projects funded through
the Transversalité
programme.
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
Nouveaux Entrants
Validation of
the allocation
rules.
Allocation of
welcome
packages.
Planned in
2013 and
achieved in
early 2014.
100
Planned at
the end of
2013 and
achieved in
early 2014.
100
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
100
Equipement
Establishment
of the Foresight
Committee.
Adoption of a
multi-annual
equipment
scheme.
Initial
equipment
procurement
processes.
A set of criteria approved
by the members of the
Federal University was
implemented in order to
allow newly recruited
faculty to benefit from this
programme. These criteria
were validated ex-post by
the CAr.
100
100
Planned at
the end of
2013 and
partially
achieved in
2014 and
early 2015.
Planned at
the end of
2013 and
achieved at
the end of
2014.
13
The individual amount
(€10,000) was calculated
on the basis of the
number of eligible new
faculty for the years
2009 to 2012. Due to the
overestimation for 2014,
the amount has been
brought up to €14,000,
(including the 2013
beneficiaries).
Due to the size of our
site, the Foresight
Committee has deemed it
necessary to consult the
research teams in order
to draw up a
comprehensive inventory
of the necessary
scientific facilities.
Allocation of welcome
packages.
The research hubs have
been approached to
support the Foresight
Committee. They have
delivered high quality
work within four months, a
major asset for developing
the investment plan.
The fact that the IDEX
was launched
simultaneously to the
State-Region Contract Plan
(CPER) preparation, led us
to split the work of the
Foresight Committee into
two parts, described in two
progress reports: one
dealing with the facilities
needs unmet by the CPER,
and the other one dealing
with the next 3 years
(2015-2017).
The Board approved the
first round of funding on 6
June 2014 and the first
equipment procurement
procedures were launched
in autumn 2014.
UNITI
Programme
definition.
Programme
launch.
Programme
definition.
75%
Planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
100%
Planned at
the end of
2013 and
achieved in
early 2014.
75%
Planned and
achieved in
2013, 2014
and 2015.
Programme
launch.
100
Planned: Q3
2013 Achieved:
Q3 2013.
Programme
launch.
100
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
Programme
definition.
100
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
Lifelong education
Formations
en
Ingénierie Programme
launch.
100%
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
a) Ecole
des
docteurs Formation
pluridisciplinaire
Innovation en Licence
IDEX PIA1
Anticipation of the 2014
and 2015 calls for
projects with longer
windows to submit
projects.
and 2015 calls for
projects with longer
windows to submit
projects.
100
Planned and
achieved in
2014 and
2015.
14
Given the length of the
accreditation process
(implementing new courses
in September 2016), a call
for projects has been
planned.
The resource coordination
and pooling working
groups have been set up
and are operational.
calls for projects with
longer windows to
submit projects.
Programme
launch.
Given the length of the
accreditation process
(implementing new courses
in September 2016), a call
for projects has been
planned.
UNITI
Welcome Desk opened for all
students
Fond de Soutien
aux Initaitives
Etudiantes
Toul’box
European
projects
Office
IDEX PIA1
100
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
Programme
launch.
100
Planned in
2013 and
achieved in
2014.
Implementation
of the support
fund to students
initiatives.
100
Planned and
achieved in
2013.
Programme
launch.
Planned and
achieved in
2015.
15
The European projects
office is meant to assist all
site researchers with E.U.
calls for projects.
Decision to schedule the
kick-off at the beginning
of the 2014-2015
academic year.
Toul'Box made available to
the Albi and Tarbes
campuses in 2015.
15,000 students welcomed
in two and a half months.
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
EVALUATION REPORT
1.5 OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1.5.1) Transformational nature and added value
What are the major achievements of the IDEX and in what
respects could they not have been achieved without the support
provided by the PIA programme?
The IDEX's objective was to lead the site teams towards excellence with the support of the
network made up of the LABEX, EQUIPEX and IDEFI teams, thus allowing them to launch
daring and risky projects, to get ahead of their peers at other universities, and to pool and
combine their competencies beyond the scope of their disciplines and institutions. We also
wanted to enable them to join the best international scientists in their respective disciplines, to
help them join more international networks. In this respect, the LABEX have provided their
own resources and have a structuring on the neighbouring disciplines, with a marked interest in
Masters’ level education.
Major achievements
The ripple effect of
IDEX programmes
Implementation of a
Chaires programme in
addition to the chairs
creation through the
LABEX.
Launch of the Ecole des
Docteurs project in 2013
Impacts of PIA credits
The IDEX label and the creation of calls for projects open to all scientific
disciplines and all team sizes have encouraged researchers from fields in
which working in project mode is not quite usual to join in, define
trajectories, milestones and deliverables, and have contributed to high
quality scientific initiatives on the Federal University site. As an example,
the Emergence and Transversalité programmes which aim at involving
site teams in cutting-edge subjects at international level have funded 71
research projects of excellence out of a total of nearly 600 projects
submitted over three years.
The funding of 18 chairs for researchers from universities listed in the
top 200 on the ARWU (5 in the top 50), over the first 3 years is a flagship
achievement that benefits the policy of attractiveness.
Creation of the first Ecole des Docteurs in France. It was based on a preexisting Doctoral college, whose resources were significantly increased in
terms of training, inbound and outbound international mobility,
attractiveness for international doctoral students, and the observatory for
career follow-up. PhD students on the site have taken more than 3,000
days of training and have been granted 100 mobility scholarships for
research visits abroad of at least 3 months. All disciplines have been
covered by these aids. As part of the university’s international policy,
thesis funding agreements have been signed with several foreign
governmental organizations.
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Implementation of the
Equipement programme
with a Foresight
committee
LABEX Implementation
Transformation of
educational approaches
(IDEFI programme)
In this programme, every euro spent by the IDEX has helped to raise
€1.50 from another source of funding. As an example, we were able to cofund a chain of biophysical characterization and of in vitro or in vivo
imaging to feature molecular mechanisms involved in cellular processes
from the origin of the interactions down to their modulation as a function
of the environmental and physiological context. The design of the system
is a world first. Total cost: €1.54 m - IDEX contribution: €660k.
The creation of the LABEX has structured and boosted already highly
performing scientific fields. It has also led to cross-disciplinary initiatives
(e.g. behavioural economics), has attracted junior and senior talents,
which has given a new impetus to research teams (reverse brain drain
policy at IAM-TSE) and initiated centres of excellence by complementing
existing competences with the arrival of senior researchers (e.g. Theory
and Modelling of Biodiversity by TULIP). Bringing together
neighbouring scientific communities through pooling, design, funding and
the use of exceptional scientific facilities (Labex NEXT) or think tanks
(SMS's Laboratoires des Idées): a remarkable shift which has largely
contributed to initiating or reshaping research activities and giving them
visibility and notoriety at the highest international level (Monde Sociaux
magazine). LABEX involvement in education, using a range of methods
which are tailored to the specific needs of each discipline, is illustrated by
a greater courses’ attractiveness (e.g. specific tracks in economics initiated
by TSE-IAM, Computer Sciences / Mathematics Masters, Masters level
excellence fellowships offered by CIMI, state-of-the-art laboratory
equipment for Masters in Physics and Chemistry funded by NEXT, new
scheme allowing Masters students from different social sciences to
enhance their studies by earning "IDEX/LABEX SMS" certification, etc.
). All the LABEX have specific PhD programmes and are involved in
funding, selecting, monitoring and providing additional training for
doctoral students.
The Défi Diversité IDEFI and the FORMES programmes have initiated a
highly innovative educational approach by offering training on teaching
methods to new faculty (104 faculty members trained), by training
educational advisers (13 trained advisers), by networking teaching centres
and purchasing suitable teaching hard and software. It aims at
permanently transform the teaching strategies implemented in all of the
educational institutions (Grandes Ecoles and universities).
Welcoming foreign
students and researchers
(Toul'Box programme)
The kick-off of a high value welcome services; 1,000 people have
benefited so far.
Overseas offices
(China/Brazil/Indonesia)
Enhance international visibility. Spin-off for smaller and less visible
institutions of the federation. Incoming mobility from China, which has
increased by 10 per cent in 2 years (all levels combined): the number of
Chinese doctoral students has stabilised at around 150 but faculty report
higher language and scientific skills, particularly thanks to new
partnerships and to the selection of applicants conducted by the office in
China. Inbound mobility from Brazil has grown by 15% (30% at D level).
Outgoing mobility towards China has also experienced strong growth
(+35%).
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IDEX PIA1
In what respect do the IDEX actions stem from a strategy that
goes beyond simply funding and coordinating the operations
carried out by the members?
Level
Structuring within
the member
institutions.
A network of
mentors and
teaching centres.
Toulouse
Engineering
Collegium.
International
Development.
Post-PIA sustainable impetus
Sustainable structuring of some research areas:
•
Physics, with the creation of a dynamics between fundamental physics,
applied physics and materials science, thanks to the NEXT LABEX. A
project for creating a physics federation whose actions would extend
beyond the current scope is currently under discussion;
•
A LABEX project has unified existing strengths in archeosciences and
has led to the recruitment of a Chair.
•
The introduction of multidisciplinary social sciences, e.g. through the
transdisciplinary influence of the SMS LABEX and the IAST LABEX
which has built new bridges with sociology, biology and history.
The creation of a multi-institution Equipement Foresight committee under the
aegis of the IDEX, which has provided fruitful and open interaction with the
French government and Regional Council for preparing the Contract Plan. This
scheme, valued by several national stakeholders, will be maintained in the longterm.
The creation of six research coordination hubs. The first impetus was provided
with the implementation of the IDEX’s Equipement programme. They are now
involved in building the research strategy and are helping the Federal University
make informed choices, in light of the high standards required to become a
world-class university.
34 of the 54 certified educational projects in the four programmes are interinstitution projects. The dynamics of cooperation among the teaching staff,
which has been enhanced by the IDEX and the accreditation process, should
continue in the long term (certifications valid until 2020).
The network of education mentors from the Défi Diversité IDEFI institutions,
which is expanding to include university representatives (FORMES project) and
teaching centres, will ultimately make it possible to establish long-term
procedures for discussing and sharing innovative teaching practices coordinated
by the Federal University.
The dynamics created within the cross-disciplinary Toulouse Engineering
Collegium will be maintained over time, and already extends beyond the scope
of actions planned through the IDEX. For example: the introduction of a bridge
year for students to be able to enrol in Toulouse Engineering courses with a
view to widen the selection of degree programmes available at the end of the
first tear of health studies (PACES) and diversify recruitment.
Introduction of a foundation year for international students, the L0 programme.
Long-term and shared project. Planned recruitment of 100 Chinese postbaccalaureate students.
Decision to explore new regions for cooperation (Australia/New Zealand
/Canada).
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1.5.2) HR policy and mobilisation of resources
What are the mechanisms for allocating the human resources?
How is recruitment carried out:
•
Which body decides on the creation and/or assignment of
jobs coming under the IDEX?
The CAr is the sole decision-maker for projects or positions supported by the IDEX: it selects
either scholars for the Chaires d’Attractivité or research projects whose budget can support PhD
students or post-docs. The Federal University's Board approves the corresponding budgets in
line with the CAr’s decision. There is no room for negotiation with the CAr.
The Nouveaux Entrants IDEX programme specifically supports assistant professors and junior
researchers recruited outside the perimeter of the Federal University (incentive to noninbreeding) upon criteria validated by the CAr.
Details of recruitment procedures for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers using IDEX and
LABEX funding are detailed in the corresponding tables below.
Who appoints the recruitment committee and how is it made
up?
The CGI and the Ministry of Education jointly appoint 16 members (7 of them international),
who make up the CAr for a four-year term, on the basis of a list of 48 leading scholars proposed
by the Federal University. The CAr members must be external to our site and must not have any
conflicts of interest of any kind with the site stakeholders or teams. The CGI and Ministry have
the option to choose members not on the list.
•
What policy or policies is this committee mandated to implement in
order to select the person to recruit?
The CAr is in charge of choosing projects on the basis of two criteria which have the same
weight, regardless of the programme: (i) the scientific merits of the project or candidate; ii) the
project's compliance with the programme’s expectations.
What is/are the institution(s) employing personnel recruited
thanks to the IDEX funds?
Institutions (research organizations, universities or Grandes Ecoles) of the Federal University,
or the home university for some seconded faculty members.
What percentage of the jobs of the IDEX member institutions has
been freed by them to be made available to the Initiative?
In this paragraph we have identified HR contribution (FTE) made available for research projects
funded by the IDEX. The number of staff (excluding doctoral and post-docs) involved in
research projects amounts to approx. 180 per year, for projects lasting an average of 2.5 years,
the total being 450 people. The seven LABEX involve approximately 1,500 people. All together
this account for 19.5% of the site’s total research and teaching staff.
19
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
What instruments are used to serve the talent management policy?
The talent management policy is in line with the attractiveness policy and relies on three
programmes: the École des Docteurs, Nouveaux Entrants and Chaires d’Attractivité, each
targeting a key period in a researcher's career.
Doctoral Students
Recruitment
procedure
Methods implemented:
PhD Students funded by the Toulouse IDEX are recruited under the responsibility
of a PI whose project has been selected by the CAr from one of the two
programmes: Chaires d’Attractivité or the Actions Thématiques Stratégiques or
through a LABEX grant. This file is then submitted for approval to the board of
the relevant doctoral school.
Developments envisaged:
Type of contract
(and name of
employer)
The employer must be a member/associate of the Federal University or an
associated foundation which is within the perimeter of the IDEX (as per the
budgetary appendix). The doctoral contract is a fixed term contract of 36 months.
Post-doc
Recruitment
procedure
The post-docs funded by the Toulouse IDEX are recruited under the
responsibility of a PI whose project has been selected by the CAr from one of
the programmes: Chaires d’Attractivité, Emergence or Actions Thématiques
Stratégiques. Other post-docs positions are directly funded by a LABEX.
Most LABEX have implemented a post-doctoral recruitment policy that
systematically uses open, international calls for applications. Depending on the
structure of the LABEX, a selection committee is made up of the Scientific
Council, the Executive Committee or the Foresight Committee. Some LABEX
set up a national jury to carry out the final selection of candidates.
The selection criteria privilege the merits of the applicants and their academic or
research records.
20
UNITI
IDEX PIA1
Type of contract
(and name of
employer)
Remuneration policy
Methods implemented
Fixed-term contracts of 12 to 36 months.
Methods implemented
Salary grids for fixed-term contracts left to the appraisal of PI (amounts
reported: €40,000 to €60,000/year). Whenever possible, PI can submit an
application for a bonus on the European programme PRESTIGE, portal; this
bonus can be up to 40% of the basic salary.
The remuneration policy for LABEX post-docs must be as per that of their
supervising institutions.
Developments envisaged
J. Royes comes from the University of Zaragoza (Spain), where he obtained his
PhD last December. He specializes in the preparation of photoactive polymers
and gels and has already obtained encouraging preliminary results producing a
first smart hydrogel, capable of reversibly modulating its stiffness upon
irradiation. By hiring this outstanding young chemist for one year, the funding
from the Emergence program has enabled us (1) to really start the ULIS project
(2) to reinforce the collaboration between IMRCP and ITAV and (3) to open a
new avenue for research at the interface of biomaterials science, microscopy and
biology.
Dr. Aurore Bontemps is a researcher who previously worked at the University
of California at Davis. This recruitment would not have been possible without
IDEX Emergence funding - CAPS (the ability of wild populations to adapt).
Principal
recruitments
Ivan Zolotukhin has a strong background and knowledge in both Astrophysics
and Computing. He was already highly involved in the activities of the
International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA), a definite asset for the STOP
project in terms of both visibility and sharing the tools developed with the
astrophysics community. The allocated funding (about two thirds of the
requested amount) has made it possible to hire him for 14 months.
Dr. Angie Molina-Delgado is a very talented Columbian postdoctoral
researcher. She joined the CYCLOFLATE project last February and has already
obtained promising results. Since then she has received the prestigious L’OréalUNESCO fellowship for women in science.
The Emergence project "H-ENERGY: Harvesting sun energy with
photosensitizer@nanoparticles for the splitting of water", which was granted
funding in March 2015 and effectively launched in July, will be able to recruit a
post-doc for a 12 to 15 month period. About thirty applications have been
received, from both French and foreign students. The selection process has
begun and should be complete by 22/09.
21
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IDEX PIA1
Tenure track type actions or arrangements
Recruitment
procedure
Type of contract
(and name of
employer)
Duration of the
procedure
Remuneration policy
The Tenure track type programme was first experimented within the IAM-TSE
and IAST LABEX. It consists in making job offers attractive to PhD students at
the end of their thesis, and to newly PhD graduated in line with both the calendar
and international contractual standards (duration, level of remuneration, research
budget) specific to each discipline. The recruitment process is divided into three
phases: a team of recruiters is appointed to conduct interviews during an
employment forum; a small number of candidates are then invited to present
their work to the research team and meet the team members; after internal
deliberation, two-way discussions with the selected candidates help to define the
terms of tenure contract for each one.
To introduce a site-wide junior research and education chair programme to
support the recruitment (in line with international contractual standards) of
young, high-calibre, international PhDs through a Chaires d’attractivité call for
projects. Candidates are recruited internationally, based on a procedure validated
by the CAr and tailored to the specific needs of each discipline. The list of
candidates chosen by the institutions is then suggested to the CAr, which makes
the final selection, in line with a financial limits set annually by the Board of
Directors.
The Tenure track contracts supported by LABEX take the form of full-time,
three-year fixed-term contracts, which can be renewed once under certain
conditions. They are signed by the institutions and subject to the applicable
French legislation ruling state bodies. The contract holder is given responsibility
for teaching, comparable with that offered to assistant professors and, where
applicable, benefits from teaching partial waiver. The holder also benefits from
the IDEX’s Nouveaux Entrants programme.
The Chaires Junior programme is involved in funding the recruitment process
and supporting research and teaching (in addition to the Nouveaux Entrants
scheme) of young high-calibre, international PhDs. They are recruited by the
institutions, with their own resources, under a full-time 3-year contract, which
can be renewed once under certain conditions.
For recruitment: depending on the fields, the first phase takes place between
October and February, the second between February and April, and the third
between February and May.
Final selection by the CAr for the Chaires Junior programme between May and
July.
Payroll generated by the institution on the basis of the salary grid for a junior
assistant professor, with a possible supplement through LABEX funding,
depending on market conditions.
22
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IDEX PIA1
Career Management
Payroll generated by the establishment on the basis of the salary scale for a
lecturer at the beginning of their career, with a possible supplement in some
disciplines. The funding needed for the recruitment process and research and
teaching support for the Chaires Junior scholars amounts to around €20,000 per
year (including the Nouveaux Entrants programme) to ensure the attractiveness.
Career management, which is based on full-time contracts subject to French
labour law (state bodies), and that can be renewed once, complies with
regulations allowing for some flexibility with regard to teaching duties and pay.
At the end of the Tenure track, a tenure position as an assistant professor or
professor, or equivalent in a research organization (CNRS, INRA, etc.) can be
granted. The civil servants pay grid for faculty or researchers will apply.
-As above-
Planned supporting
resources
Principal
recruitments
Each newly recruited faculty (Tenure track, junior researcher, and assistant
professor) who does not hold a doctorate from the University of Toulouse and
has less than five years of experience in a higher education position in France or
abroad receives a €14,000 welcome package which entitles them, either to a
teaching waiver or to research activities funding (travel expenses, perks for
Master’s interns, etc.).
Development envisaged:
The Chaires Junior programme will replace the experimental Tenure track
programme and will receive separate funding from a different budget item.
The planned budget for each scholar will provide a contribution to the
institution’s international recruitment, and will complete the Nouveaux Entrants
programme, which entitles them, either to a teaching waiver or to research
activities funding (travel expenses, perks for Master’s interns, etc.)
Since 2012, the IAM-TSE and IAST LABEX have recruited fifteen young
faculty members through the Tenure track programme. The first three hired will
soon be reaching the end of their six-years with the programme. All three have
had a promising start to their careers and have published or have on-going work
on a very high level: Renato Gomez (Brazilian, PhD from Northwestern
University) has published two articles in the top international journals in his field
(top field), another article currently under review at one of the five leading
international journals of economics in all fields (top 5), and has just won a
position as a CR2 at CNRS; Takuro Yamashita (Japanese, PhD from Stanford
University) has already had an article published and another accepted in a top 5
journal, as well as an article published in a top field journal; Yinghua He
(Chinese, PhD from Columbia University) has already had an article published
in a top field journal and another in a top 5 journal. All three are also very well
integrated and have numerous on-going projects with researchers from TSE,
including other young people recruited through the same programme and more
experienced researchers.
23
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IDEX PIA1
High scientific and technical potential
Recruitment
procedure (notably
composition and
method of
appointing the
selection committee)
Methods implemented: Chaires d’attractivité
International call for projects: the candidates shortlisted by the Federal
University institutions are selected by the CAr to work on-site for a minimum of
12 months, which can be spread over 5 years.
A maximum of €1 million is allocated for each chair. This amount is used
exclusively for funding the research environment: travel expenses, research
budget, post-docs and PhD contracts.
Several LABEX have set up additional schemes for the Chaires d’attractivité
programme in the form of fellowships for visiting researchers for periods
ranging from a few months to three years, the third year being renewed subject
to a mid-term evaluation. In these cases, specific recruitment committees are set
up, with the support of the LABEX, often international, scientific councils. The
applicant’s records as a researcher are, of course, the main selection criterion,
but his ability to interact with the teams on site and his main research topic are
also considered in most cases.
A review of the scope of funding is being envisaged (see below).
Type of contract
(and name of
employer)
The Board of Directors of the Federal University voted to grant the beneficiaries
of the Chaire programme with the status of "egregious scholar", which allows
each institution to host the chair holders in the best possible conditions during
their stay(s).
This shows a great deal of flexibility in the contractual arrangements. The
scholars selected can have a specific assignment, a secondment contract, a
posted position, or be directly employed by their host establishment (Research
organisation, university or Grande Ecole).
Remuneration policy
Career Management
Planned supporting
resources
When compensation is offered, it is provided by the institution hosting the Chair
on the basis of the current regulations.
Chair's salary paid on the IDEX budget and based on the salary grid for
university professors. A bonus may be provided by Chair's host institution.
The goal of the Chaire d’Attractivité programme is to attract high-profile
researchers for periods of up to five years.
To construct an attractive and flexible permanent recruitment policy, with the
support of the IDEX and under the arbitration of the CAr.
Installation and research expenses (running costs, equipment, human resources):
up to €1 million.
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IDEX PIA1
None at this time, since the environment package seems sufficiently well
resourced.
Ludovic Orlando, who is hosted by the Molecular Anthropology and Image
Synthesis laboratory (UMR 5288) CNRS – University of Toulouse III-Paul
Sabatier. Project: OURASI (A genomic, epigenomic and metagenomic
perspective on the history of horse domestication and management).
Ludovic Orlando, 36, who holds a PhD from the University of Lyon, is
recognised as a world leader in paleogenomics (ancient DNA studies). In 2013,
as a researcher at the University of Copenhagen, where he led an international
team of 56 scientists, he sequenced the oldest genome ever discovered, that of a
horse from Alaska which lived some 700,000 years old.
Paleogenomics is a multidisciplinary field, involving archaeology, biology, and
social sciences, which investigates the adaptation process of hominids, through
the various contacts that they established, particularly when settling in what is
now Europe. It aims, for example, to identify the reasons why the genomes of
certain populations have gradually disappeared, or how others have failed to
adapt to their environment.
Principal
recruitments
For the IDEX's Chaires d'attractivité programme, Dr. Orlando, who had already
been collaborating with teams from his host laboratory, has proposed a project
based on the most recent developments in the field of genomics and the study of
ancient DNA. The project aims to trace genomic, epigenomic and metagenomic
changes introduced during the domestication of horses and their subsequent use.
He will explore how the emergence of chariots and cavalry transformed the
behaviour, physiology and, in short, the biology of the horse, and will compare
these situations to natural situations where horses have evolved in the absence
(or near absence) of human influence, drawing on the analysis of horses of the
late Pleistocene age in North America and Yakutia. The project will represent a
major contribution to understanding the phenomenon of domestication, a process
that has changed the face of the human race. It will begin a new phase in
approaches to evolutionary biology.
James K. Hammitt, hosted by the Laboratory of Natural Resources Economics
(UMR 1081) INRA - University of Toulouse I-Capitole. Project: AMEP
(Advancing methods for evaluating environmental/health policies).
Dr Hammitt is a professor of economics and decision sciences at the Harvard
School of Public Health, and is also director of the Harvard Center for Risk
Analysis. He is a world leader in the field of economic analysis of risks.
After receiving a Pierre de Fermat Chair in 2005, James built a group of
researchers at LERNA, with whom he had already collaborated in the past. This
network is particularly interested in studying theoretical developments and
empirical methods for evaluating public policy. Dr Hammitt’s
Chaires d’attractivité project continues these collaborations. His objective is to
develop an internationally renowned research group at the Toulouse School of
Economics (TSE). This group will improve and implement methods for
evaluating social effects/public decisions that affect the quality of the
environment and human health. He will work in connection with the Harvard
Centre for Risk Analysis.
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This chair will also help to support a team of researchers from TSE, supported
by two post-docs and four PhD students, as well as two law and political science
researchers from Duke Law School (Durham, North Carolina).
Peter Haynes, hosted by the Observatoire Midi-Pyrenees, the Aerology
Laboratory, the Laboratory for Studies in Geophysics and Space Oceanography
and the National Centre for Meteorological Research (Atmospheric Meteorology
research group), CNRS - University Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier. Project:
TEASAO (Turbulence Effects on Active Species in Atmosphere and Ocean).
Dr Haynes, a researcher at Cambridge University (United Kingdom), is an
international expert in large-scale fluid dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans
as well as in the transport and mixing of trace species, including reacting
chemical and biological species. In his previous research, he has tackled the
theoretical aspects and applications of these questions. Much of his work focuses
on atmospheric problems and he has applied his results to the study of oceans.
His project supported through the Chaire d’attractivité programme aims to
create the next generation of atmospheric and ocean forecasting systems. One of
the major scientific challenges in doing so is to improve understanding and
modelling of the turbulence effect on a small scale, and vertical mixing on the
evolution of chemical or biological species in the ocean and atmosphere. These
processes are key to our ability to understand, model, and predict the evolution
of freshwater resources, air and water quality, the development and dispersion of
certain pollutants, primary production (plankton) and the evolution of resources
(fishing) in the ocean, which represent major challenges for society in terms of
management and sustainable exploitation of the environment.
Given the similarities between oceanic and atmospheric dynamics, the project is
designed to bring together scientific communities studying the atmosphere and
ocean on the basis of an original approach which combines theory and applied
studies to create an effective long-term partnership between the laboratories
involved in the project.
Ted Gragson - hosted by the TRACES laboratory - UT2J/CNRS
Professor Gragson is an international expert who conducts high-level research
in ecology, using a global and historic approach which covers human
behaviour, current social organisation, landscapes, natural resources and their
conservation as well as regional planning and the management of natural
spaces. Currently a professor at Georgia State University (United States),
where he heads the Department of Anthropology, he earned his PhD in
anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1989. Professor Gragson
leads several research programmes in the USA, South America, South-East
Asia, Africa and France. He speaks fluent French and Spanish and has been a
visiting professor at the University of Pau and the Pays de l’Adour and the
University Jean Jaures Toulouse II since 2005.
His experience, at the crossroads of ethnology, archaeology and historical
ecology, makes it possible to consider numerous collaborative efforts with the
different research units in Toulouse (Geode, Ecolab, Framespa, IMT, IRIT,
Moulis) as well as through the vast global network of LTESR, with which he is
associated. The research project he has developed within the TRACES
laboratory through the Chaire d’attractivité programme is based on dynamics
of social and environmental space in the piedmont area. The objective is to
compare several French catchment basins in the Pyrenees (Garonne, Adour)
with similar geographical situations which until recently had low population
26
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density (the Appalachian Mountains, Little Tennessee, Broad, USA). The
modelling will be focused on research activities designed to further knowledge
of the complex system that makes up these spaces. This work will provide a
holistic approach to the social and environmental phenomena that can "force"
the organisation of past and present settlements in order to better understand
Euro-Asian situations with high population density.
Annie Ross, hosted by the Clement Ader Institute – Institut Supérieur de
l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace. Project: CHASC (Hybrid Control of Damping in
Sandwich Composites).
A Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Montreal
for the past 16 years, Dr Ross has been the director of the Laboratory of
Acoustics and Vibration Analysis since 2013. Her previous experience includes
six years in the Canadian aviation industry. Her research focuses on the passive
damping of composite sandwich structures in aeronautics.
Her project aims to reduce the vibration levels of composite sandwich structures
with a honeycomb or foam core, which leads to a reduction in the sound emitted
by these structures. The ambitious solutions offered combine different
technologies and research results, including: sonic black hole, the dissipation by
fibrous materials and viscoelastics, as well as the transfer of energy to a nonlinear auto-adaptive oscillator.
Today, aircraft comfort and compliance with new environmental standards for
sound levels are significant issues leading to intense research and development.
The benefits of this project are therefore considerable for both the environment
and aviation firms’ competitiveness. This five-year project will be co-funded by
the IDEX-University of Toulouse and the ANR. It will result in the recruitment
of three PhD students, two post-doctoral students and trainees, and will give rise
to a long-term partnership between the two establishments involved.
Piet van Leeuwen, hosted by the Physics Laboratory for Nano-Objects (UMR
5215) CNRS - University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier. Project: NANOS-ONWINGS (Design of a ligand for metal nanoparticles in catalysis).
Dr van Leeuwen is a Danish researcher and a leader in the field of homogeneous
catalysis. He is the author of two books on the topic as well as numerous
publications in peer-reviewed journals. He received an Advanced Grant from the
ERC (European Research Council), and continuing his research at the Institute
of Chemical Research of Catalonia, after a stint as a professor of homogeneous
catalysis at the science faculty of the University of Amsterdam. He also has
extensive and fruitful experience in both industry (26 years with Shell) and
academia (1995).
The host group has been a pioneering research team for more than 20 years in
the field of controlled preparation of nanoparticles and their characterisation
using sophisticated methods developed over the years, as well as their use in
various fields. The project concerns the use of metallic nanoparticles (NPMs) in
an area of research that is currently very important: catalysis.
New synthesis methods developed by the LCPNO team have made considerable
progress in this area. These new materials have demonstrated surprising
properties in catalysis compared to conventional metal catalysts. Over the past
10 years, thanks to spectroscopy technology, important steps have been taken at
LPCNO for far more detailed characterisation of metallic nanoparticles.
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Catalysis is a very complex field and the arrival of Piet van Leeuwen, within the
framework of the Chaires d’attractivité programme, is helping to contribute new
skills which are currently lacking at LPCNO.
Jorgen Weibull is hosted by the IAST LABEX.
A researcher at the Stockholm School of Economics, Dr Weibull is known for
his work on the frontier between economics and evolutionary biology. He uses
high-level mathematics as a tool to study evolution by the natural selection of
social behaviour. His work has been published in the world's leading economics
and theoretical biology journals. His arrival at IAST will strengthen a very active
biology programme, with seminars and symposia attracting the world’s best
researchers. This programme has already given rise to collaborations with other
laboratories in the Toulouse region, including the LABEX TULIP and the CNRS
station in Moulis, as well as with biologists from Montpellier and Lausanne.
Manuel Barranco, hosted by the Laboratory for Collisions, Aggregates and
Reactivity (UMR 5589) CNRS - University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier.
Project: IMDYNHE (Impurity dynamics in superfluid helium nanodroplets: a
real-time TDDFT-MD approach).
Dr Barranco, a professor of physics at the University of Barcelona, is an
internationally recognised expert in the field of describing multibody quantum
effects and their dynamics in mixed helium nanodroplets.
Helium nanodroplets are quantum multibody systems with unique properties. As
such, they are very useful and matrices and practically ideal for high-resolution
spectroscopy and the reactivity of atoms, molecules or aggregates. The recent
development of a method based on time-dependent density functional theory
(TDDFT) by Dr Barranco's laboratory requires the input of the molecular
physics to become quantitative. The contribution of the Toulouse group will be
crucial in this respect, and is the main reason for the proposed collaboration.
Dr Barranco’s arrival in Toulouse, through the Chaire d’attractivité programme,
aims to initiate long-term collaboration between his original and host laboratory.
The purpose of the project itself is to provide the community working on helium
nanodroplets with a free user-friendly simulation tool to interpret or propose
cutting-edge experiments. It is based on the complementary expertise of Dr
Barranco's lab at the DFT and the molecular physics theory groups at LCAR, as
well as their numerous fruitful collaborations with leading international
experimental groups in the field. In the longer term, the project could lead to the
creation of a European network which would also benefit from existing
collaborations with several other theory groups in Europe and the United States,
and the organisation in Toulouse, of the Quantum Fluid Clusters conference, a
forum for the helium-nanodroplets scientific community since 1989, on whose
committee both groups are represented.
Patrizia Ettorre, hosted by the Center for Research into Animal Cognition
(UMR 5169) CNRS - University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier. Project:
PHEROMOD: (Pheromones as general modulators of insect behaviour).
Dr. Ettore, who holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Parma, spent the
early part of her career in Europe (Italy, France, Germany and Denmark). Since
2009, she has taught at Paris 13 University and continues her research at the
Laboratory of Comparative Experimental Ethology. She is considered the most
influential scientist worldwide in the field of insect ethology and her research on
the recognition of social insects is quoted more than any other.
Professor Ettorre's chair project comes in the wake of several collaborations with
the director of the host laboratory (CRCA, UMR 5169), on learning and
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memory processes in ants, resulting in several publications and a thesis codirectorship.
The purpose of her research is to highlight that pheromones, in addition to the
communication of specific messages, can also affect animals' ability to learn and
memorise. It has been recently been shown that certain pheromones can
modulate cognitive processes by facilitating or inhibiting learning and memory.
The study of this pheromonal modulation in two species, the honey bee Apis
mellifera and the ant Lasius niger, would distinguish the acquired mechanisms
from those inborn in a species. Since the use of pheromones is an alternative to
pesticide, understanding the mechanisms for controlling non-innate behaviour
through pheromonal modulation offers very significant economic and ecological
potential. The project will provide greater knowledge of the mechanisms by
which pheromones influence learning performance in insects, which are
modelled in fundamental and applied research.
IDEX Business Impact Level Table for the first 4 years
Number and funds totalled over
the period
Number of recruitments made
solely with IDEX funds
Funds devoted by the IDEX for
these recruitments
with joint IDEX / IDEX partner
investments.
Funds devoted to these
recruitments by the IDEX
with joint IDEX/LABEX
investments.
Funds devoted to these
recruitments by the IDEX
Doctoral
students
Post-docs
19 (including
12 LABEX)
40 (including
27 LABEX)
€ 1,732,774
(including €
997,774
LABEX)
1(LABEX)
€1,700,957
(including
€1,115,957
LABEX)
16 (LABEX)
(LABEX
€105,000)
(LABEX
€720,000)
Tenure track
2 (LABEX)
11 (including 2
LABEX)
€ 8,064,520
(including
€1,633,000
LABEX)
11(LABEX)
15 (LABEX)
€1,155,000
(LABEX)
€489,085
(LABEX)
29
High potential
IDEX PIA1
UNITI
How are these instruments used to serve the strategic orientations
of the IDEX?
The institutions proposed candidates for the Chaires d’attractivité in the strategic areas; 6
world-class scholars were selected by the CAr:
-‐‑
Elen Robey (UC – Berkley): New cancer treatments;
-‐‑
Ted Gragson (University of Georgia): Heritage;
-‐‑
Peter Haynes (University of Cambridge): Aerospace;
-‐‑
Hussain Gaitee (South European Observatory): Aerospace;
-‐‑
Annie Ross (Ecole Polytechnique Montréal): Aerospace;
-‐‑
Gene Cooperman (Northeastern University): Aerospace.
Thanks to the quality of the IDEX’s programmes, their objectives and their rigorous selection
process, we have succeeded in convincing a high number of partners to join forces. This has
generated a leverage effect and reduced significantly the number of funding bodies researchers
have to apply through:
-‐‑
Co-funding for the Transversalités programme by the CNRS (€600,000 contributed on top of
an IDEX budget of €1.3 million);
-‐‑
Co-funding for the ATS programmes by the Fédération de Recherche pour l’Aéronautique et
l’Espace (FRAE, agreement signed) and the Toulouse Cancer Santé foundation (TCS signing
process under way);
-‐‑
Co-funding for the Equipement programme by the TCS foundation (€125,000), Airbus
(€60,000) Total (€100,000), the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council (€244,000, outside the
scope of the CPER).
The IDEX encourages external recruitment by granting a €14,000 signing bonus to each
assistant professor or junior researcher hired, provided that they do not hold a PhD from the
University of Toulouse, did not previously have a research and teaching assignment exceeding
24 months in a laboratory of one of the members of the Federal University, and have no more
than 5 years of experience as a faculty in France or abroad.
1.5.3) Research and training
What are the strategic lines with regard to research and training?
Research
The Federal University has two research priorities:
•
to support "high-risk / high-reward” scientific initiatives, in particular multidisciplinary projects involving different research units;
•
to foster an interdisciplinary approach to current global challenges, in particular by
partnering with the region’s socio-economic players on four key areas:
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o Aeronautics, space and embedded systems;
o Multidisciplinary research and new technologies for innovative cancer
treatments;
o Systems for the sustainable management of natural resources and the
environment in the context of climate change, with a view to provide human
and animal feed, fibres and fuel;
o Heritage.
To do so, the Federal University works on three areas:
•
Generating excellence, by promoting the site's attractiveness for senior and junior
researchers and by developing strong support for PhD students;
•
Research infrastructure and breakthrough scientific equipment, with a focus on resources
that serve the community at large;
•
World-class disruptive research projects.
The Federal University also dedicates exceptional resources to the European projects office to
increase its researchers’ participation rate in European calls (ERC, H2020, InterReg, etc.).
Education
The IDEX Education programmes support the Federal University's ambition to be ranked as a
high-ranking institution by:
-
Defining a coherent, complementary programme portfolio, with the most comprehensive
choice of courses, designed to meet the needs of business, social, cultural, and research
communities;
-
Managing and monitoring the course portfolio development process;
-
Enhancing the visibility of the course portfolio to optimize overall access to the best possible
programmes;
-
Upgrading education programmes.
As part of the 2016-20 accreditation process, the Department of Education and Student Life
spearheaded the design of the courses offered at the Bachelor’s, Professional Bachelor’s and
Master’s degree levels; the application for accreditation was filed in July 2015, with the
Ministry of Education. This offer includes many majors that are common to all the institutions
and to map out all the majors to be deployed for the 2016-17 academic year.
As part of this process, an inter-institutional working group, led by the Department of Education
and Student Life, was formed for each IDEX education programme. This working group has
been entrusted with the definition of the guidelines for implementing and monitoring these
programmes and submitting them to the Council of Members.
For example, the Innovation en Licence programme has led to the creation of 15 Bachelor’s
tracks part of the majors on offer; all of them are either research tracks or “enhanced tracks”
(additional work required from the students), based on active learning approaches.
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The Masters pluridisciplinaire programme has led to the deployment of 10 new Master’s tracks
among the common majors. They are divided into three categories: Master’s designed for
positions that require a multidisciplinary approach (e.g. Master’s degree in Mathematics and
Applications), Masters’ courses in which students choose learning units from different
disciplines (e.g. the Network project including 11 Structuration des Mondes Sociaux, Masters)
or Masters which take a multi-disciplinary approach to a single field (e.g. the Stratégie
Urbaines Locales Masters course).
With regard to partnerships with socio-economic stakeholders, seven continuing education
projects have been implemented together with the competitiveness clusters and major
companies, including Airbus, SigFox and the IRT (e.g. "Connected objects: radio frequencies in
networks” and "Embedded systems - cyber-physical systems").
The process of developing an innovative and attractive course portfolio is supported by the two
IDEFIs, FREDD and Défi Diversité, as well as by the LABEX initiatives for education.
The FREDD IDEFI has brought the Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) up to the highest
international standards by taking on the challenge of providing a comprehensive,
multidisciplinary and top-ranking educational offer, while channelling students into different
tracks as their talents are revealed.
The Défi Diversité IDEFI puts innovative teaching styles at the heart of an effort to improve the
quality of the site's engineering courses to ensure that they meet the needs of students and of
socio-economic players.
Number of
researchers
concerned
Themes
Specific investment of
the IDEX in research
1-BABS – Biology and
Life sciences
2-DSPEG: Law, Economy,
Management
3-HSHS: Humanities,
Human and social
Sciences
4-SDM: Physics,
Chemistry, Material
Sciences
5-MSTII: Mathematics,
Sciences and technology
of Information and
Engineering
6-UPEE: Universe,
Planets, Space and
Environment
32
Number of
students
concerned
Funds allocated
1 / 224
1 / 6,166,904 €
2 / 90
2 / 3,569,476 €
3 / 112
3 / 2,515,821 €
4 / 106
30
4 / 2,778,660 €
5 / 210
5 / 6,837,978 €
6 / 72
6 / 2,175,370 €
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Bachelor,
Master
Specific investment of
the IDEX in training
Doctoral
training
(2014 et
2015)
DEG
SHAS-ALL
STS
Engineering
DEG
400
1 063
3 270
2 985
272
170,430 €
329,024 €
615,314 €
752,750€
29,822€
SHAS-ALL
424
46,487€
STS
2 831
310,387€
Engineering
2 500
274,097€
Joint IDEX/IDEX
partner investment
13,400,000 €
BABS
DSPEG
HSHS
SDM
Joint IDEX/LABEX
investment
368,001 €
1,889,080 €
204,676 €
1,395,250 €
Scientific Facilities
Joint IDEX/IDEFI
investment
965,000 €
Engineering
Joint IDEX/other PIA
project investment
To be
started
from Sept.
2016
1 / Material sciences
2 / Systems
3 / Physics
109,250 €
1 / 1,013,000 €
2 / 1,850,278 €
3 / 630,000 €
PIA projects' contributions to the development of research and education policies
PIA1 projects
LABEX
Key structural
impact
Involved in the
site’s strategy
through
membership on the
ATS programming
committees.
Promoting projects
funded in the
strategic areas
(TOUCAN for
Cancer, NEXT for
aeronautics,
TULIP and IAST
for sustainable
development, SMS
for "Heritage".
Synergies with
partners external
to the Initiative
The ATS
programming
committees bring
together other
players,
including
businesses,
competitiveness
clusters and local
and regional
authorities.
33
Other
contributions
of the project
to the Initiative
Complement
the IDEX
Chair projects
with short-term
invitations
offered through
the LABEX.
Any enhancement of
the project’s
potential by the
Initiative
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IDEX PIA1
IDEFI
EQUIPEX
Institut Carnot
Also involved in
the building and
deployment of the
site’s four strategic
research areas
Promoting many
of the research
projects funded
through the
Emergence,
Transversalités, or
Equipements
programmes.
The Défi Diversité
IDEFI supports the
IDEX Formes
programme by
enabling new
faculty to work
together in order to
foster
collaborative and
group work on
educational issues.
The FREDD
IDEFI gives new
impetus to the
Toulouse School
of Economics
(TSE) by
deploying
innovative
teaching methods
and developing
partnerships with
businesses, high
schools and
prestigious foreign
universities.
Integrated into the
ATS strategy.
The Défi
Diversité
IDEFI supports
the IDEX’s
innovative
teaching
projects by
providing
courses based
on
international
benchmarking.
Represented on the
ATS programming
committees.
A beneficiary
of the IDEX’s
Equipement
programme. It
implements
some scientific
facilities on
behalf of the
University.
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IRT
The IRT is a
member of one of
the ATS
programming
committees in
order to structure
the academic and
technological
research
continuum with
socio-economic
players.
SATT
Valorization
process previously
fragmented, now
much more
structured and
organized: a major
achievement.
Enhancing skills
and resources for
stronger, faster,
more effective
valorization.
The IRT
supports the
IDEX’s Ecole
des Docteurs initiative by
signing the
thesis charter
of each hosted
PhD student
and by opening
some of its
courses to all
the other PhD
students of the
site.
SATT is at the
cross-roads
between
industrial
partners
interested in the
outcomes of
public research,
and all the
players involved
in innovation.
SATT nurtures
the synergies
between the
IDEX
stakeholders.
Conducting a
permanent watch on
research outcomes to
be valorized.
Raising researchers’
awareness on the
advantages of
striking partnerships
with the socioeconomic world.
Shaping and
promoting research
and technology
opportunities for
companies
Are these strategic lines embodied by a specific structure (e.g. collegium, departments, institutes, schools, etc.)?
Research: Six research coordination hubs have been established. These hubs bring together the
laboratory and LABEX directors in the following fields: Humanities, Social Sciences and
Societies / Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology and Engineering /
Biology, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Health / Materials Sciences / Universe, Planets, Space,
Environment / Law and Political Science, Economics, Management.
Education: The Federal University boasts a comprehensive programme portfolio (122
Bachelors’ programmes, 396 Masters’ programmes and 49 Engineering programmes) through a
broad range of institutions (22 universities and Grandes Ecoles). The site has been structured in
line with this offer and with a visible multi-disciplinary strategy:
-‐‑
Each of the three universities covers one major field: SHS-ALL (social sciences and
humanities), DEG (law, economics and management) and STS (science-technology-health).
95% of the courses on offer at each university match its field of study and with hardly any
overlap between the institutions;
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-‐‑
Two multi-disciplinary hubs have been created: the Engineering hub is supported by the
Toulouse Engineering Collegium, which gathers all the institutions teaching engineering;
the Technology hub is supported by the Federative Institute of IUTs which includes all the
Federal University’s IUTs.
What competences are exercised by these new entities?
Research
Research co-ordination hubs act as a cooperative space for the Federal University’s institutions
and research organisations. They share views with the laboratories to better apprehend their
programmes and activities. Their purpose is to contribute to the work of the Academic Councils,
of the relevant bodies and of the involved research organisations. Their main responsibilities are
international benchmarking studies, scientific forecasting, and contributing to the Federal
University’s international policy.
Education
The cross-disciplinary education hubs provide a space within which the different institutions can
work together and seek to develop synergies and partnerships and ultimately set up and monitor
joint projects. For example, the Toulouse Engineering Collegium includes all of the site’s
engineering institutions, Toulouse III University and the JFC National University Institute.
Toulouse Engineering has implemented a broad range of initiatives, including the creation of
common course modules shared by all the Grandes Ecoles (8 modules, e.g. "Biomechanics” and
“Statistics and Information for Big Data"), the creation of two new elective tracks available to
students from different institutions ("Engineering for Sustainable Development” and
"Computational Biology for Green and White Biotechnologies"), and the creation of a bridge
year towards Toulouse Engineering courses to widen the selection of degree programmes on
offer at the end of the first year of health studies (PACES) and diversify recruitment.
1.5.4) Policy for transfer to industry
What are the main successes of the IDEX policy for transfer to industry?
The SATT is the common tool for valorization. It clearly illustrates the pooling and streamlining
efforts triggered by the Federal University and its community thanks to the PIA. The projects
managed by the IDEX vary widely in terms of nature and time frame. Some, like the LABEX
projects (NEXT, CIMI, etc.), that were initiated only three years ago are academic-oriented. Yet
TWB for instance, that was designed in close cooperation with industry boasts nearly a ten year
experience with its partner laboratories. The examples listed below testify to the dynamics
created by the IDEX’s resources.
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Designation
Tag’s sécurisés
Socio-economic sector
Security of national ID documents.
Research themes involved
Nanosciences / Nanotechnologies
Names of the partners within the
sector
Form (framework agreement,
contract...) and nature of the
contributions obtained, (payments in
€, provisions of human resource,
equipment sharing, sponsorship,
skills-based sponsorship, etc.)
Flagship result or achievement
obtained thanks to the IDEX
Funding (including IP revenues)
received from companies under these
collaborations
Other funding received from external
partners on the project (ANR,
Europe, etc.)
LABEX NEXT, Laboratoire Physique et Chimie des
Nano-Objets, Nanolike (SME).
Two years of academic research carried out as part of
NEXT. Estimated annual cost: €75k.
CIFRE grant plus research contract funding via the
relevant company.
Funding of the project maturation in view of its transfer by
SATT (12 months) - €375K.
Making tags secure by introducing nanoparticles. Patent
filed and licensed to the company. First returns on
licensing expected in 2016
2012
2012
Names of the partners within the
sector
2014
€10K
€10K
2013
2014
€273K
Designation
2013
Dermoscan
Oncology (skin cancer) and dermatology.
IT - imaging and image processing.
LABEX CIMI, IRIT Laboratory, Pixience (SME)
37
2015
2015
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Form (framework agreement,
contract...) and nature of the
contributions obtained, (payments in
€, provisions of human resource,
equipment sharing, sponsorship,
Flagship result or achievement
obtained thanks to the IDEX
Funding (including IP revenues)
received from companies under these
collaborations
partners on the project (ANR,
Europe, etc.)
The SATT’s first maturation project and a transfer into the
field of augmented reality for virtual fittings for glasses
A second transfer into a different field: Pixience had
identified a potential technology in a laboratory but it
proved to be ill-suited. Thanks to the cross-disciplinary
nature of the IDEX, SATT detected Pixience’s needs and
redirected it towards the LABEX’ technology. SATT
invested in a maturation project to develop the technology
applied to melanoma detection (€100k).
A license is signed with the company. First returns
estimated at € 500k.
Valorization of the same LABEX invention in several
different applications fields.
2 licenses (risk reduction and increased income).
2012
2013
2014
2015
na
na
na
€10k +
funding of
IP
2012
2013
2014
2015
na
na
na
na
In addition to these two examples, other projects provide further evidence of the importance of
the IDEX’s resources, with transfers to companies for a very wide range of applications: fall
detection for elderly people, simulation of skin folds or clothing for the cinema or even the
detection of free tumour DNA. The example of TWB is also noteworthy:
Designation
Names of the partners within the sector
Creation of a start-up: Carboyeast
CO2 capture
White Biotechnology
Toulouse White Biotechnology (TWB)
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Form (framework agreement, contract...)
and nature of the contributions obtained,
(payments in €, provisions of human
resource, equipment sharing, sponsorship,
Flagship result or achievement obtained
thanks to the IDEX
Funding (including IP revenues) received
from companies under these
collaborations
partners on the project (ANR, Europe,
etc.)
Maturation of a pre-competitive project within the
structure. Technical support and business plan for the
start-up.
3 patents filed.
Start-up created.
Significant investment by major venture capital
companies.
2012
2013
2014
2015
id
id
id
id
2012
2013
2014
2015
id
id
id
id
Share of these three partnerships in the funding
received by companies out of all the IDEX project
actions (as a %)
No information available What relations are established with the SATT (society for accelerating technology transfer)? For what results?
There are many links between the Federal University and the SATT: premises, coordination
of SATT services towards laboratories, Instituts Carnot and LABEX, regular exchanges of
information on programmes and projects. SATT’s ramp-up keeps pace with the Federal
University’s ambitions.
By the end of October 2015, SATT had taken on 134 maturation projects worth a total of
€16.5 million, most of them implemented in the laboratories. SATT signed 42 transfers to
companies, mainly to SMEs, the great majority of them from the region.
These transfers have already generated €250,000 in revenue for SATT in 2014, and should
reach €500,000 2015. After assessing SATT outcomes, at the end of 2014, the government
has decided to grant it another €24 million funding.
What areas are excluded from the SATT's scope of cooperation?
How are these exclusions justified?
SATT is the linchpin of the Federal University's valorization strategy, and manages all transfers
from member institutions. The CNRS also banks on it for its local laboratories, and SATT has
signed agreements with the key research institutions (INRA, CNES, CHU) or is in the process
39
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of doing so (INSERM). It has also signed agreements allowing it to entrust the valorization
process to national players, such as the CNRS or France Brevets, through joint valorization.
Similarly, it works with other national players (INRA and INSERM) to implement the best
possible strategy, particularly by building up on the synergies with other laboratories outside the
region (the cluster effect). SATT also interfaces with the subsidiary companies to national
research organizations. The TWB agreements are a typical example: SATT detection and
protection of LISBP’s results, SATT and INRA joint analysis, and in the field of white
biotechnologies, further developments primarily by TWB and INRA transfer.
1.5.5) Student life and life on the Campus
The two focal areas, welcoming students and student life, are directly supported by the Federal
University. Many different actions have been or are in the process of being undertaken:
Welcoming students
The objective is to welcome and support freshmen, particularly with the Welcome Desk: the
Federal University has set up a one-stop-shop that delivers many of the services that
international students and visiting researchers need for a successful move in a single location:
the Prefecture for residence permits; the CAF for students and family benefits; the CROUS for
student housing, catering and other related services; Federal University services, including
accommodation, culture and the Toul'Box.
Improving student life
The Federal University's Student culture and initiatives office aims at enhancing students
experience on the campuses and supporting students associations. A Student Initiatives Support
Fund (FSIE - IDEX) provides funding for inter-institutional student association projects through
calls. This office also organises cultural activities (dance and circus arts classes, the Entre en
scènes! festival, student concerts, etc.). It also circulates cultural information to the students
(Exploreur, U'Zoom). In compliance with the law dated 22 July 2013, the Federal University is
also working with CROUS to design the students life scheme in the following nine areas:
housing, transport, health, food/nutrition, disability, cultural activities, sport, associations and
student initiatives.
1.5.6) Culture, Science and Society
The Federal University includes a science and technology promotion office that aims to
highlight and disseminate research and its outcomes for the general public. It works in three key
focal areas:
-
Preserving and promoting universities’ scientific heritage through activities such as
Virtual Exhibitions - Back to the Future, a virtual exhibitions site which displays heritage
collections in the Midi-Pyrénées;
-
Editing and publishing works, for example with the online science and technology
education agenda. The first release of the scientific Exploreur magazine dates back to April
2015, valuable tool for promoting the university’s inter-institutional research policy;
-
Staging scientific events and workshops highlighting the history and topicality of research
and connecting the scientific community with the general public: la nuit européenne des
chercheurs the Science Festival, la Novela.
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1.5.7) Construction of the identity
For all the students enrolled in courses developed or promoted
thanks to the IDEX funding,
•
does or will (specify the time frame) enrolment take place in
the "Target University?
•
does or will enrolment take place jointly in one of the member establishments of the "Target University"?
•
how is the feeling of belonging to the "Target University" developed?
On arrival, students have access to the services of the Welcome Desk and the Toul'Box, the
welcome package offered by the Federal University which features all the site assets: cultural,
social, sports, and documentary services. (See. 1.5.5). They enrol at the member or associate
institutions, where they will study. Their student ID card bears mention both of the Federal
University and the institution in which they are enrolled.
What is or will be (specify the time frame) the formal link between
the "Target University" and the researchers and the lecturerresearchers recruited thanks to the IDEX funding?
Based on the work done by the Research Department, the Council of Members has adopted a
single signature charter for publications. Chair scholars must use this signature format when cosigning work, including written, oral, poster or audio-visual presentations fully or partially done
within the framework of the Chair.
Currently the LABEX and IDEX project managers decide which institution or research
organization will sign the employment contract. From 2016, a scientific agreement will bind all
recipients of IDEX funding (senior and junior chairs, post-docs) to the Federal University.
Indicate how, thanks to this identity, the "Target University" does
or will (specify the time frame) simplify interfacing with the socioeconomic world and become its point of contact.
The Federal University is already a single gate to players like the competitiveness clusters, local
and regional authorities, e.g. through the Regional Council for the State-Region Plan funding
scheme (CPER), the Campus Plan, calls for Research projects (grants for PhD contracts), and
the scientific and technical promotion policy. The Federal University is the Regional Council’s
sole partner for its regional site policy (10 site contracts), and works directly with the other local
and regional authorities. It has also signed a cooperation agreement with the Délégation
Générale à l’Armement (DGA) in the name of and on behalf of all members.
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1.5.8) International visibility
The development of an international identity, which makes the site more attractive, rests on
two strategic pillars: overseas offices and enhanced international students/researchers life
environment. Three leading initiatives in this respect: offices in China, Brazil and Indonesia,
Toul'Box, and English-taught programmes.
The office in China (Chongqing / Shanghai) makes it possible to directly select incoming
students and develop meaningful partnerships with the top 20 Chinese universities, including
Peking University, Tsinghua and Sun-Yat-Sen. Several steps have already been taken: i) a
Study in China programme launched by the Federal University; 80 students have already
enrolled; ii) the creation, of a foundation year for studies in France for Chinese students
(L zero), which will take in 100 students in 2016; iii) the launch of double degree Masters
courses, (Aeronautics and Law), involving 90 students.
The office in Brazil has been set up at a university in Recife (Nordeste) through the provision
of a two-year visiting professorship. The objective is to divert the Science without Borders
programme towards the Federal University and to develop research partnerships. Several
concrete actions have been implemented, including joint degree programmes (3 Masters:
Oceanography, Civil engineering, Urban development) and further relationships with industrial
players in Brazil (e.g. Thales Alenia Space).
The Toul’Box programme is also key to attracting international researchers and students. It is a
welcome and international move support package specially designed for these two populations,
and includes a customized welcome and a tailor-made package of services. The Toul'Box has
been operational since July 2014 and has been used by 1,000 students and researchers so far.
Finally, the Federal University has promoted the creation of an English-taught Masters’
degree intended primarily for international students through an annual call for projects since
November 2013 (12 applications for 5 funded projects).
Targeted collective actions focus on strategic regions, particularly China, Brazil, Australia, New
Zealand, the USA and Canada. These actions have enabled the proliferation of partnerships
with very highly ranked universities worldwide, which would not have entered into a
partnership with only one Federal University member institution: Peking University, the
University of San Paulo (USP), the University of Melbourne, TU Munich and the University of
British Columbia.
The Federal University will soon join the Times Higher Education and QS international
rankings, which has agreed to the principle. The ARWU (Shanghai) ranking refuses to list
federal universities as defined under French law (COMUE). However, researchers from the
Paris Observatory have simulated the rankings of French federal universities under the ARWU
classification. The Federal University of Toulouse was ranked 99th in this simulation.
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1.5.9) Focus: remarkable achievements
•
The creation of the only Ecoles des Docteurs in France that provides an integrated and
interdisciplinary approach for supporting PhD students to help them mature their career
plans and offers them personalized courses, thus creating ideal conditions for pursuing an
international career.
•
We have launched an innovative bridge between law and medicine by funding the Assess
legal and economic uncertainties weighing on the collection of biological resources
(tumours, tissues, cells) in oncology, the provision and the economic development of these
materials project within the ATS programme.
•
The IDEX has allowed us to invest in exceptional scientific facilities in a very short
timeframe, including:
o a new storage system, thanks to the support of the IDEX (Research and Digital,
€850k). This Big Data centred project, named DATAMIP and with a 2015 budget
of €1.6M, will lead to the creation of a storage infrastructure with a total capacity
of 7 Petabytes, which will complete the "Equip@meso” Equipex;
o A multimodal cell and tissue analysis platform, allowing for the characterisation of
the properties of the living from cell level to tissue level. This set-up, which would
consist of units for thermophoresis, dynamic determination of excited state
lifetimes, multispectral imaging (LabelFree) and a fast TIRF photonic microscope
and would combine single particle tracking technologies (HT-TMP) and in-vitro
FRET would be the first and only one of its kind. This operation is supported by
the TULIP LABEX;
o An ultimate microscopy unit (I2TEM - Hitachi) equipped with a high frame-rate
camera (> 100 frames/sec) in order to observe in situ plastic deformation
mechanisms and phase or structure change in advanced materials subjected to
external stresses (electrical, mechanical,...). This system, promoted by the Next
Labex, will be the first and only one of its kind.
•
We have completed a series of projects on the issue of "Drones” in a very short period:
o Two research projects were funded as strategic initiatives in key areas:
(Autonomous Exploration of Confined Environments by Compact Micro Air
Vehicles and Intelligent assistance for Supervised Control in drones swarms
Operations: providing intelligent software assistance in tasks and authority
allocation among human operator and autonomous artificial agents;
o A project was funded as part of the Equipement programme (the facilities include
a remote remains-sensing UAV (multispectral imaging and laser microtopography) and three-dimensional mapping equipment for remains buried below
the surface of the soil (radar, electrical resistivity, magnetometer). It draws on the
expertise of 2013 Chair Ted Gragson;
o These operations supported by the IDEX come in addition to the construction of a
drone aviary funded through the CPER. All of these results justify the recent
creation of a Drones Groupement d’Intérêt Scientifique (GIS) project involving the
CNRS, the ENAC, the ONERA, the ISAE, the INPT, UT2J, UT3 Paul Sabatier,
the INRAP and Météo-France.
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•
The coherent whole formed by Toul'Box and the Welcome Desk remains unequalled in
France and is a major outcome of the IDEX. The dual objective of anticipating the
mobility issues and making life easier for newly arrived students and researchers is now
achieved through the combination of these two tools.
•
The training of new faculty and educational counsellors in all the Grandes Ecoles and
universities coordinated by the Défi Diversité IDEFI of the IDEX Form project.
•
The IDEFI FREDD supported by TSE scientific excellence, has successfully taken up the
challenge of offering a high-flying training programme combining the equality of chances
to all students for them to succeed, an in-depth transformation of the skills acquisition
scheme, a solid career path guidance, and a greater international reach.
The creation of the IDEX education and research programmes has supported the emergence of
other PIA instruments. By starting slightly earlier than the IDEX, players have a better vision of
the activities completed so far and of their impact: the LABEX projects were awarded to some
of our most advanced research communities, represented by the Toulouse School of Economics
and by its director Jean Tirole.
When looking at the LABEX, two points stand out: the structuring role they have played in their
communities and beyond, and the fact that they are not restricted to and only focused on their
own work. They have gotten the wider community involved, taken part in calls for IDEX
projects, impacted education (sometimes by direct funding) and interacted with each other.
Today, they are involved in developing our research strategy.
Due to their early start, SATT and all of the LABEX were already evaluated a few months ago.
The very positive assessment and feed-back strongly encourages us to capitalise on their
structuring impact in order to replicate this mechanism in other communities.
Finally, let us note that the decision to take a collective approach to the UNITI project was the
catalyst for the creation of a single federal university. The project has helped to federate all the
resources dedicated to education and research over an area larger than Belgium not only by the
French Ministry of Education, but also by five other ministries and five national research
organizations, and to combine public and private players as well as foundations, beyond the
boundaries of disciplines, with the utmost respect for the individuality of each structure and
discipline. If we compare our initiative with other university sites of equivalent size in the
world, we can see the sign of a great collective political maturity which guarantees a solid
foundation so that excellence in the research and education of tomorrow can continue to develop
on our site.
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2. PROJECTION INTO THE FUTURE
With respect to the "Target University" and the major objectives
that have not yet been achieved (see table in 1.4), what - if applicable - are the main milestones remaining to be crossed?
Our ambition is to tackle today’s great scientific, economic and societal challenges, many of
them interdisciplinary, by committing the best teams in an environment of excellence created by
the Federation's member institutions. To that end, we will make full use of the resources and
practices that have been developed and successfully tested during the probationary period, and
which are based on a cross-disciplinary approach to research.
The governance of the Federal University (the Target University) will be completed in April
2016 with the election of its board of directors. Our three long-term strategic objectives
constitute the structural framework for the initiatives and commitments of the
members/associates of the Federal University. Each of these objectives aims to contribute
to the construction of a world-ranked research university on the site by 2022:
•
Enhance the site’s attractiveness and visibility in order to attract the best researchers,
faculty and students and to make the Federal University one of the top 100 international
universities;
•
Develop cross-disciplinary research and education in order to take on the key scientific
challenges of tomorrow, to innovate on the cutting edge of knowledge and to prepare
students to face ever more complex socio-economic challenges. Only an academic
institution of this size is able to offer a cross-disciplinary approach in a broad range of
fields;
•
Boost the socio-economic impact of the Federal University players by further
increasing our investment in the Aerospace Valley competitiveness cluster and by banking
on this experience to generate similar ecosystems in other fields by developing
partnerships with a wide range of businesses.
These objectives and related ambitions compel us to follow the trajectory launched three years
ago and to implement new actions and endpoints in the next six years.
A Strategic Orientation Committee, composed of members from outside the Federal University,
will be set up in 2016 to monitor progress.
Objective 1: Enhance the site’s attractiveness and visibility
• Initiatives to increase our international visibility, in particular:
o A wider use of the single signature: University of Toulouse (cf. Commitments) and
applications for the top international rankings (cf. commitments);
o From 2017 onwards, the PhD degree is to be issued by the Federal University within the
framework of joint accreditations. The certificate will display the seal of the institutions
at which the students are enrolled;
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o Developing English-taught Masters’ programmes in order to attract more Englishspeaking foreign students and to better prepare French-speaking ones to join
international research networks (cf. Commitments);
o Increasing teams’ involvement in European research and education schemes. To this end,
the dedicated European project support staff from the different institutions and research
organizations will join forces as of 2018 (cf. Commitments);
o Strengthening joint programmes of excellence by supporting complementary structures
to LABEX, in order to develop collaboration and resource-sharing among teams to attain
the highest scientific standards: federated structures (Fluids, Energy, Reactors, Materials,
and Transfers Federation, Federation of Research in Agrobiosciences, Interactions and
Biodiversity, Centre for Integrative Biology, Genotoul, Federative Institute of Research
in Law) or services and research units (Institute for Human Sciences and Society), joint
services units (Raymond Castaing, CALMIP);
o At the end of the LABEX programme (2019), each LABEX or IDEFI will have the
chance to be granted further funding from the IDEX capital, subject to two prerequisites:
request must be made by the relevant LABEX or IDEFI PI and by the coordinating
institution; approval by the CAr, which will set the level of funding. The LABEX and
IDEFI renewal evaluation process shall be carried out every 5 years. Any commitments
made by a LABEX for projects validated by the CAr will be transferred to the IDEX,
should funding not be renewed or should the LABEX budget be reduced to such an
extent that it cannot meet its commitments;
o Enhancing the visibility of the site’s course portfolio thanks to interactive international
portals (overall mapping and engineering portal). Opting for a more Anglo-American
theme-based approach (e.g. distinction colleges/departments), fostering summer schools
initiatives and joint international degrees (e.g. Ecole Européenne de Droit) will also be
an added asset;
o Developing targeted partnerships through Toulouse Engineering with universities
including Cornell University (NY) and Georgia Tech (Atlanta), the Hong Kong
University of Sciences and Technologies, or the Delft University of Technology.
•
Initiatives to identify and welcome leading international talents, such as:
o On-going funding for the Chaires d’attractivité to host top-ranking international
researchers and the creation of Chaires Juniors (cf. Commitments);
o Expansion of the Toul'Box and Welcome Desk programmes, which provide newcomers
with a range of services unique in France and in line with the highest international
standards. Mobility grants to attract top students may be added to the Toul'Box (cf.
Commitments);
o Enhancing our international reach by striking new partnerships with the USA, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Mexico and encouraging strategic alliances with
some leading European universities which share common features with the Federal
University, such as Bologna University, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and
the University of Mannheim (cf. Commitments).
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Objective 2: Develop cross-disciplinary research and education
•
Implementation of a research strategy for the 2016-2020 period:
In addition to the initiatives aiming at coordinating research strategy among institutions through
research hubs, the stress is laid on a dual objective which consists in providing specific support
for disruptive research and in encouraging interdisciplinary studies that address challenging
societal or economic issues. To that end, we will rely on the appraisals and choices made by the
CAr in accordance with the procedures set out in the grant award agreement. The Car’s scope
shall be extended, in particular to cover the Chaires Juniors programme.
Seven key measures will form the backbone of our policy:
1) Continuation of the senior Chaires d’Attractivité programme and creation of Chaires
Juniors.
2) Developing the training to and by research: the Ecole des Docteurs will intensify its
training, international mobility and career preparation initiatives in particular thanks to the
development of an interface with companies in order to help doctoral students start their
careers.
3) Regeneration of disciplinary or interdisciplinary research topics: this implies changing
the orientation of the Emergence programme to open it up to interdisciplinary work while
maintaining its focus on disruptive research, without any systematic link with socioeconomic issues.
4) Specific support for the creation of inter- and cross-disciplinary research networks to
explore new concepts and fields upstream of research projects, potentially in partnership with
international researchers.
5) Development of strategic actions; their interdisciplinary character will be emphasized, and
will become a criterion for IDEX support. This evolution will be accompanied by an
enhanced part played by the programming committees; they will be led by a director
appointed by the Council of Members upon recommendation of the DRDV in order to rampup the drive of strategic initiatives and to give momentum to in-depth work upstream of calls
for projects.
The Aeronautics, Space, Embedded Systems and Heritage ATS will be maintained. The ATS
Multidisciplinary research and innovative technologies for innovative treatment of cancer
will become a sub-theme of a broader line of action on healthcare, which will also include the
Integrative Approach to Ageing and Systematic Approach to Health-Society-Environment
interactions themes. Similarly, the Sustainable transformation of natural resources initiative,
which was supported during the first three years, will be included in a broader Sustainable
development initiative, which will cover interdisciplinary issues related to water and energy,
in partnership with the Water and DERBI competitiveness clusters.
6) On going strong support for the joint acquisition and running of exceptional research
facilities and equipment. The IDEX Equipement programme will be continued.
7) Increased funding for the interdisciplinary doctoral programme; its current budget of 1.2
million Euros per year provided by institutions will reach 2 million Euros in 2018.
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•
Initiatives to shape a joint approach to training and to facilitate the design of crossdisciplinary courses based on the education hubs:
o Implementation of an international approach to quality assessment and upgrading of
courses. This approach is largely based on The European University Association (EUA)
reference document;
o Development of an inter-institution teaching community to allow dissemination of new
teaching practices and broader experience sharing via, in particular, the educational
advisors and services of the Federal University (cf. Commitments);
o Ramp-up and promotion of Toulouse Engineering members to define 10-year forecasts
(plenary working group and foresight committee);
o Increased coordination of the course portfolio, in particular through joint coordination of
Masters majors;
o Design of new multidisciplinary programmes and enhancement of their attractiveness
based on the site’s course offer map (Majors/minors, double degrees).
Objective 3: Boost the site’s socio-economic impact
•
Initiatives to improve our visibility to business and the broader community:
o Description of our portfolio of initial and continuing education in terms of skills and jobs
to improve its visibility and make it more legible to the socioeconomic community
worldwide. This initiative will also help promote our lifelong learning programmes,
based on initial education existing skillsets;
o Setting-up of foresight committees in the cross-disciplinary education hubs.
•
Initiatives to enhance our relationships with business and society
o For the Ecole des Docteurs, co-working workshops to increase the visibility of doctoral
studies and to promote know-how transfer and the hiring of newly PhD graduates;
o Promoting in-house senior and junior consultant services to companies;
o Ramp-up of the PEPITE initiatives (training and support for students who have a start-up
project);
o Greater emphasis on the valorization initiative to meet businesses’ needs for scientific
and technical skills;
o Intensification of licensing activities and business creations by SATT, thus offering a
showcase for start-ups and technology transfers;
o Development of a research-education-business ecosystem in the healthcare and energy
sectors.
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Beyond these 3 strategic objectives, the Federal University also aims at developing pooling
of human, technical and financial resources in order to boost the efficacy of joint
initiatives:
•
More consistent campus initiatives and funding:
o The Federal University will become a model for contractual relationships with
stakeholders including the Ministry of Education, regional authorities and research
organizations from 2016;
o A Federal University observatory will be created to enable the sharing of indicators in
research, education, valorization, international relations, with the hubs, the Council of
Members and the Board of Directors.
•
Better coordinate human resources on the site:
o 25% of new academic positions each year dedicated to initiatives supported by the
IDEX. The resources will be provided in the site contracts signed with the research
organizations.
•
Intensify the use of resources:
o Pooling of equipment and facilities: on-going implementation of an integrated policy for
research facilities and support to joint services units (UMS) by the Federal University;
encouraging companies to open their facilities to researchers and start-ups (laboratories,
workshops, clean rooms, analytical platforms, mainframe computation facilities). The
initiative will lead to more numerous exchanges within our unequalled innovation
ecosystem;
o Digital technology initiatives will include an architectural project which should enable
interoperability among the information systems of the Federal University institutions, as
well as the development of a private and secure cloud, for enhanced shared digital
services.
Nature of the commitment
Description of the
indicator
Target
Date of
achievement
ATTRACTIVENESS AND VISIBILITY
Increase the site’s scientific
excellence
The Federal University’s
position ranking.
Top 100
2022
Deploy a single signature
% of researchers using the
single signature.
90%
2017
Host leading foreign researchers
Current number of
Chaires d’attractivité,
including junior chairs.
6 senior chairs
per year and at
least 6 junior
chairs
2022
4/year
2022
Increase the number of Englishlanguage degree programmes
(either by modifying existing
Masters programmes or creating
new ones)
The number of Englishtaught Masters
programmes: creation of
English-taught tracks in
all disciplines.
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PhDs granted by the Federal
University and co-signed by a
member establishment
Presence of teams in European
programmes: increase the
success rate to 30% and
encourage project submissions
(increase by 15 % per year the
number of projects submitted in
coordination or partnership)
Quality of welcome for
international talents
Stronger international
partnerships
% PhDs
100%
2017
Number of projects
submitted as coordinator.
30%
2022
Number of Toul'Box
provided.
2,500
2017
Number of MoU with
ARWU top 150
universities.
20
2022
Growth of incoming
mobility.
5%
2018
Creation of dual or joint
degree programmes
(including Engineering
programmes).
2/year
2018
Creation of joint research
structures.
1 UMI
6 LIA/GDRIs
2022
50% of faculty
per year
2017
30
2020
2M€/year
2022
30
2020
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY WORK
Improve course quality
Resources assigned to
interdisciplinary research
Shared budget to promote crossdisciplinary research
Cross-disciplinary research
projects
% of faculty involved in
teachers’ individual or
collective training
initiatives.
Number of PhDs
earmarked for
interdisciplinary research
per year.
Pooled budget (PhD
grants).
Number of projects
funded per year.
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SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT
Enhance the Federal University’
relationships with businesses
and society
Support business creation
Develop student - entrepreneur
status (PEPITE)
Number of Federal
University consultants
called in by companies
and number of beneficiary
companies.
Number of businesses
created per year.
Number of students
joining the initiative.
40 consultants
40 companies,
including at
least 20 SMEs
or MSCs
8 per year (cf.
SATT)
1,000
2022
2022
2022
What are the main difficulties to overcome in order to achieve this
agenda?
The member institutions’ boards have approved the above-stated agenda without any
restrictions. Fulfilling our objectives remains tightly connected to the continuation of the IDEX
label and related funding.
Moreover, the fact that it is still difficult for our federal structure to be part of some international
rankings (ARWU, Leïden…) is damaging to our international visibility and attractiveness.
With which university (or universities) does the IDEX intend comparing itself to adjust its strategy and pursue its development trajectory?
Approach:
Our objective is to identify a university in which the organisational structures that have arisen
from a research and education strategy similar to ours have proved to be effective and could
serve as a model for us. Below, the first set of criteria used to identify this target:
• Ranking among the world top 100 universities,
• Topology similar to ours (disciplines covered / number of students / research structures)
Based on these criteria, we have drawn up a shortlist of institutions from all over the world. We
then took a closer look at and established direct contacts with universities on that list which
have a specific approach similar to ours, and whose main goals are: i) Boosting the University’s
attractiveness; ii) Developing cross-disciplinary research and education iii) Increasing the
university’s socio-economic impact.
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Target:
We have selected the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), ranked 60th in the ARWU,
whose key features are listed in the table below:
Penn State University
24 campuses across Pennsylvania
16 Colleges
95,000 students
17,000 staff members
4,500 PhD students
1 University Hospital
Federal University of Toulouse
20 campuses across Midi-Pyrenees
24 members/associates
96,000 students
12,000 staff members
4,500 PhD students
1 University Hospital
Penn State’s pro-active human resources management policies (start-up and welcome packages,
career development professorships) are quite common in large North American universities, and
we have identified them as points of reference for our Nouveaux Entrants, Chaires d’attractivité
and Chaires Juniors IDEX programmes, the latter being a recent addition to our strategy. The
differentiating element that led us to select Penn State is the existence of 12 interdisciplinary
institutes within the university, founded two decades ago. The areas of studies of these
structures echo particularly well our strategic initiatives as stated in the table below. We are
particularly interested in the nature of the governance of these institutes (they are led by
councils and directors holding the status of department head), in their role in the university,
where they interact with research departments when setting up interdisciplinary projects and in
their assignments. Some of the institutes even manage research equipment and facilities for a
group of research departments.
Penn State University
Creation of 12 "Interdisciplinary Institutes" (1995)
Clinical and Translational Science Institute and
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
Institutes of Energy and the Environment
Sustainability Institute
Social Science Research Institute
Materials Research Institute
Institute for CyberScience
Federal University of Toulouse
Strategic Actions (2013 then 2016)
Health: Cancer, Ageing, Health-Environment
Connection
Sustainable Development:
Conversion of natural resources, Water, Energy
Heritage
Aeronautics, Space, Embedded Systems
Approaching the target
Landmarking
Our objective is to benchmark 7 of our programmes (Nouveaux entrants, Chaires Juniors,
Chaires d’attractivité, structuring and role of ATS programming committees, joint
management of scientific facilities, organisation of educational hubs, SATT) with reference to
those already operational at Penn State, leading to a comparative critical analysis of
objectives, implementation and outcomes. As an example, during the 2010-2015 period, Penn
State released 45,660 publications that received 68,848 citations for an H factor of 153, while
the University of Toulouse issued 44,400 publications, which received 38,365 citations for an
H factor of 142 (Source: Scopus, consulted 5/12/15). The annual rate of publications per
sector and their H factor, the jobs gained by PhD students, the number of patents or the
percentage of international students are some of the key indicators to be used in the
comparative study of our trajectory.
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EVALUATION REPORT
3. OPTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS
1. From the diversified University of Toulouse to the centralised Federal University
The University of Toulouse, founded in 1229, is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It
remained a single entity until 1969, when it was split up into four separate universities.
During the course of its history, many other higher education institutions were founded in the
region, the first in 1805 and the majority in the twentieth century. Today, our site boasts 14
Grandes Ecoles, 7 of which are federated as the INPT. These schools are overseen by six different
line ministries.
During the twentieth century, six research organisations also set up centres on the Toulouse site:
CNRS, INRA, INSERM, IRD, ONERA, CNES.
Consequently, our site reflects both the wealth and the complexity of the French higher education
and research system. All of these forces add up to around 96,000 students, 5,500 researchers and
faculty, 6,500 support personnel and 136 laboratories with a consolidated budget of €1.2 billion.
This diversity is a genuine source of wealth as it enables us to provide a very wide range of
training programmes and research teams with exceptional possibilities in terms of acting in the
most proactive and responsive manner.
In order to develop a common policy applicable across the site, we opted for the federal model.
This choice has enabled our site to both step up cooperation between universities, Grandes Ecoles
and research organizations and, at the same time, to remain on a human scale and as close to the
site players as possible, ensuring responsiveness and innovation while also fostering crossdisciplinary synergies in order to take up major scientific challenges.
2. Current features of the Federal University of Toulouse
When mention is made of our site, the first thing that comes to mind is Economics, thanks to the
highly successful School of Economics (TSE), which is a component of the University Toulouse 1
Capitole, and to Jean Tirole’s 2014 Nobel Prize, and at the other end of the spectrum thanks to
aeronautics and space, with the concentration of world-class training and research institutions
(UPS, ISAE-SUPAERO, ENAC), a research organization (ONERA) as well as a large number of
research laboratories, CNES and global companies including AIRBUS, THALES Rockwell,
SAFRAN and ATR. All these players cooperate in the Aerospace Valley global cluster of
competitiveness.
Our site also harnesses other outstanding forces that contribute to its development. The scientific
challenges faced by the Federal University are very much in line with France’s national research
strategy (SNR). The probationary period made it possible to identify and share the strengths of the
site. The 10 challenges of the SNR are represented with variable specifics and weightings. Some
of them had already been identified and have been the subject of cross-cutting strategic actions
such as space and embedded systems. Others will need to be supported in the future given the
site’s major involvement in their fields: energy, health, social and cultural innovation, modelling
and managing the big data that irrigates the majority of our strategic actions and relies on a very
high-level computing and storage data infrastructure. In parallel to these challenges, the site is
heavily involved in the progress of knowledge and upstream research.
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These include, but are not limited to, the economics of contracts and organisations, archaeology,
research on decision-making and optimisation, fundamental mathematics, fluid mechanics,
upstream research in areas ranging from synthesis to characterisation and modelling, integrative
and evolutionary biology, animal cognition, upstream research into infectious diseases, studying
the interstellar medium and oceanography. The site is also identified as France’s leading
engineering research centre in France.
Prior to the advent of the IDEX, the Toulouse site was characterised by research shared between
universities, Grandes Ecoles and research organizations conducted in laboratories overseen by
various institutions (this is true of 82 of the site’s 136 laboratories). The laboratories have always
been set-up in accordance with the scientific strategy and their thematic scope and not based on
which institution the researchers belonged to. This particularity has enabled genuine synergies and
has forged a culture of sharing and cooperation that is now deeply rooted in the community and
which is illustrated by the following developments:
• Research federations in Engineering (FERMaT), Chemistry (IST), and Agrobiosciences
(FRAIB, Genotoul) which are technical platforms and also places for scientific
cooperation and the incubation of interdisciplinary ideas. Most of these federations receive
significant support from the IDEX, in particular through five Chaires d’Attractivité;
• Joint Service Units (UMS) and EQUIPEX: in the field of Intensive Computing
(CALMIP), materials (CMCRC) and the Regional Centre for Functional Exploration and
Experimental Resources (CREFRE), which operate cutting-edge materials for the whole
site;
• Research and Service Units such as the Humanities and Social Sciences Centre (MSHST),
the Institute for Advanced Life Science Technologies (ITAV) and the CNRS’s
Experimental Ecology Station in Moulis, which combine outstanding technical platforms
with research programmes enabling researchers to work there on a temporary or
permanent basis;
• National facilities, such as the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory or the National
Spark Plasma Sintering Platform, which this year received IDEX funding amounting to 50
% of its research investment;
• We will, of course, continue to make use of LABEX structures to develop upstream crossdisciplinary projects. This includes but is not limited to bio economics, the mechanisms
governing decision-making processes and collective organisations (SHS-EconomicsBiology-Physics), integrative human and animal biology (Sociology-Health-biologyagronomy), as well as integral ecology (SHS, agronomy-ecology). The new CrossDisciplinary programme will be perfectly suited to these approaches.
An illustrative example is one of the largest centralised centres we have created on the
Montaudran campus (which borders the Rangueil scientific campus), which is currently home to
major scientific strengths essentially dedicated to materials and structures (Institut Clément Ader:
centralisation of the laboratories of three engineering Grandes Ecoles and one university) in
particular for aerospace and intensive computing. The IRT Saint Exupéry research institute and
Météo France have been attracted by the research potential, scientific instrumentation and
facilities of this campus dedicated to scientific computing. The Campus Plan has provided the
funding for buildings while the State/Region Project Contract has facilitated the purchase of
scientific equipment: computing (274 TeraFlops) and scientific instruments (two electron
microprobes, four field emission scanning electron microscopes electronic microscopes one of
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which is a dual-beam instrument, five transmission electron microscopes, and one secondary ion
mass spectrometer).
Instruments previously installed in three different locations in Toulouse have now gathered on a
single site. The same applies to the engineers who are tasked with using them, conducting
maintenance and training users. This centre is now one of the most powerful and best organised in
southern Europe. The Montaudran campus will be completed in 2017 with the installation in a
new location of the IRT Saint Exupéry which specialises in aeronautics and space and the
Jacqueline Auriol education centre. Driven by the Campus Plan, this centre will centralise the
site’s mechanical engineering courses, which are currently provided by UPS, INSA and ISAE.
Organised around seven high-level technological platforms, the centre will host 1,200 students,
apprentices and trainees (IUT, professional Bachelors, Masters and engineers) and will also be
home to the AIP-PRIMECA (Inter-University Production Workshop/Mechanical IT Resource
Centre).
The opening of the Jacqueline Auriol education centre will complete the “research-innovation”,
“transfer-service”, “initial-continuing education” higher education triangle by bringing together
all of the forces, expertise and facilities on the same campus. By 2017, the Montaudran Campus,
which has been expanding since 2013 will have seen its number of researchers increase from 200
today to 500.
With regard to common services for research and training, the considerable experience of interuniversity services, some of which were initiated 20 years ago, have enabled us to develop,
amongst others, the all-purpose digital pass for students and all the staff, health services for
students, as well as documentation services for training and research.
As part of the Campus Plan, an overall scheme for the 10 campuses in Metropolitan Toulouse has
been developed. Within this context, it was decided that the Federal University of Toulouse would
be organised around two common centres:
The Research and Valorization Centre, a 10, 000m2 building located on the Rangueil
scientific campus, the Research, hosting Doctorates and Valorization Department, including the
Ecole des Docteurs, the SATT (TTT) as well as common services for digital, real estate and
continuing education.
The head office of the Federal University, located in one of the rehabilitated buildings of
the initial University of Toulouse and home to the management, new student and researcher
services, international relations as well as scientific and technical education departments.
These achievements would not have been possible without the convergence of the following
conditions:
The first was access to financial resources that significantly exceed the standard budgets
for such operations. In this respect, the convergence of FEDER, Campus Plan, CPER and now
PIA represents a genuine opportunity.
The second was the political support of all of the higher education players, research
organizations and institutions (State, Region, Metropole) and therefore the trust of their members.
Political and scientific cooperation started within the framework of PRES and has been developed
by PIA as described in the following paragraph.
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3 - The IDEX programmes provided the catalyst for structuring our university site
In our region, the implementation of a series of policies had paved the way to developing an
immense research and training capacity, but the number and diversity of the players created
gradually resulted in this research and training offering being fragmented not only
administratively but also geographically. While the Toulouse site is surrounded with 10 regional
university sites, an in-depth analysis shows that there are over 10 campuses within the Metropole.
Applying for the IDEX was a means of sharing a common goal, and the diversity of the PIA
instruments provided an ideal opportunity for everybody to achieve their ambitions and meet their
requirements.
The option we chose to allow all players to have access to the IDEX acted as a catalyst at several
levels. The structuring effect of the LABEX the impetus created in the area of innovation by the
SATT, and the creation of research and education coordination hubs all contributed to removing
the barriers between the players and the sites and resulted in switching from an individualistic
mind-set to a far more collective philosophy. Allowing all of the site’s players to apply for
education and research programmes has also considerably contributed to making them aware that
they can play a role in the excellence of the site and has convinced them their work could be
optimized. The downside of the success of these calls for projects is that many are called but few
are chosen, but the selection systems we have introduced are very demanding and completely
impartial and hence enable us to continue to use these procedures.
The site has therefore already changed considerably in barely three years, a change exemplified
with the development of the research strategy. In 2013, we realised when negotiating a site
agreement with the CNRS just how difficult the Federal University was finding it to map out the
research done on the site, and to develop a strategy for it. Today, this mapping is fulfilled and all
the organizations, member institutions and associates, LABEX and coordination hubs, have
contributed to developing it, thus enabling a set of key strategic areas to be identified. In this latest
move, the IDEX helps us by providing:
- A structuring matrix, given that we have assigned a series of strategic thematic actions
jointly built when preparing the UNITI in order to develop our strategy which, by choice,
focuses on highly important economic or societal concerns that are essentially interdisciplinary.
- Resources for the implementation of our policy, as our strategic actions will sit
comfortably, at least partly, in the IDEX programmes, which make it possible to obtain extra
funding. These resources, managed by the Federal University, finance the cross- disciplinary
strands of our policy by drawing on the combined expertise of teams from the whole site. This
mechanism automatically results in a contribution on the part of the member institutions, as for
each euro invested in a project by the IDEX, the teams’ home institutions invest two euros.
The results are clearly visible on the ground, for instance through the very high number of crossdisciplinary projects with their quality having been underlined by our CAr. They can also be seen
in the structures through the diligence of all the participants in the different bodies (Council of
Members, Departments boards, etc.), and through the determination of numerous players on the
site join and/or to work with the Federation. As a result, a large part of the programme is now in
place. The university has now identified its fundamentals and has created the bodies required for
its operations and to enable it to adapt to a changing environment. Moreover the Federal
University has been selected to handle the 2018 European Science Open Forum (ESOF) making
Toulouse the European city of science on that year.
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This federal university system is now up and running, enabling us to develop our international
reach. This explains why a large part of the IDEX budget is earmarked for attracting high-level
researchers, both promising young talents and very experienced professionals.
We also count on enhancing our image thanks to the mobility of our students and researchers, by
creating companies and transferring the research results to markets through the success of calls for
projects, in particular European, by loaning personnel for our pooled scientific platforms, by
exporting our courses and by creating international research units.
4. Potential for improvement
While it is already possible to assess the impact that the IDEX has had on our collective
organisation, the structuring of research, particularly with regards to the LABEX and EQUIPEX
structures, and on innovation through the SATT, it is still too soon to measure its impact on
research at international level and on students’ success because this type of assessment requires a
longer timeframe.
Nevertheless, we have already identified the potential for improvement in the following areas:
• The impact of our publications: by way of an example, in the 2010-2015 period, Penn
State University, which has the same scientific scope and approximately the same resources as
the Federal University, published 45,660 articles which received 68,848 citations for an H
factor of 153, while we published 44,400 publications which received 38,365 citations for an H
factor of 142 (Source: Scopus, visited on 5/12/15). It is clear that our flow of publications
meets the international standards and that our best publications almost match those of a
university in the ARWU, but that part of our work is used far less than that of our counterparts.
We plan to analyse this situation and launch an information and awareness campaign aimed at
researchers and doctoral students in order to increase this impact.
• In conjunction with the SATT and IRT, a comparable analysis could be conducted with
regard to enhancing the visibility of our research. We will pay close attention to analysing the
impact of the Penn State University policy, which does not keep the intellectual property rights
to inventions if their industrial partners request them.
• We must increase our involvement in European calls for projects in a significant manner in
order to become the French leader, as indicated elsewhere in this report. Our aim is to increase
the number of projects submitted by 15 % a year to double the number of projects submitted by
2022.
---
57

End-of-Probationary-Period Evaluation Report

Transcription

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