October 2020: I-SITE Three-Year ReportHeading for the evaluation

On October 8, 2020, the presentation of new calls for projects allowed to make a progress report on the whole E2S UPPA project after 3 years of official existence.

Gilles Pijaudier-Cabot, Executive Director, first showed the new video presentation of E2S, then reiterated the essence of the project: E2S UPPA is a partnership between academic researchers and private R&D allowing to work together through chairs, partnerships, and joint laboratories. UPPA provides technical facilities to partner companies via UPPA Tech, and representatives of both spheres sit together on the E2S UPPA Executive Committee, which decides on the allocation of resources.

The French concept of “target university” asks the questions, “Who are we? What are we? Where do we want to go?” The E2S target university is first and foremost an academic force in the fields of education, research and innovation. It is above all a multidisciplinary consortium, which includes scientists but also economists, lawyers, sociologists... Via E2S UPPA, this academic excellence is put at the service of the territory.

The goal is to make the University of Pau and the Pays de l'Adour an actor of the local economic and cultural development, therefore reconciling knowledge and progress.

Means

To achieve this goal, several instruments have been mobilized:

  • Research (thematic hubs, exploratory projects, etc.)
  • Teaching (pedagogical innovation, courses in English, quality approach, Talents' Academy scholarships for 3rd-year and Master's students, etc.)
  • Technology transfer (entrepreneurship, seed projects, joint laboratories, etc.)
  • Attractiveness (chairs, doctoral and post-doctoral scholarships, UPPA Tech, Summer Schools)
  • Internationalization (international chairs, Welcome Desk for international students)
  • Structuring (reorganization, learning centers, student spaces).

Teaching dynamics

  • 15 "flagship" Master's degrees in the E2S perimeter (+25%), including 14 taught in English (2 in 2017)
  • 12% increase in number of Master's students
  • 35% increase in international students in 2019, 89% increase in international applications in 2020

A collective commitment

More than 30 private partners (industry and services) and 8 local authorities work with E2S UPPA.

  • A wide variety of partnership modalities: 10 seed projects, 8 project teams, 19 research chairs, 7 joint laboratories
  • An instrumental power accessible through UPPA Tech: 18 platforms open to partners and connected to others in France, Europe and internationally
  • A shared strategy within the Executive Committee (scientific fields, investments for instrumentation...)
  • A relay of animation, prospective and reflection: the CEPyA business club

Creation of knowledge and value

  • Business creation: 5 companies created, 50 student entrepreneurs in 2020 recognized for their projects
  • Protection of know-how and project maturing: 19 patents filed
  • Partnership resources up 75% in 3 years
  • 7 joint laboratories with industry (+3), 5 framework agreements