Philippe Mauguin, Chairman and CEO of INRAE, and Sébastien WINDSOR, President of UniLaSalle, have signed an ambitious partnership agreement for the first time, committing the two organizations to joint research-training projects on the scale of agroecosystems and production and processing systems, with a territorial, national and international dimension. The partnership was officially announced on Friday February 28 at 5:15pm, on the UniLaSalle stand at the Salon International de l'Agriculture.
INRAE and UniLaSalle have formalized their scientific collaboration by signing an ambitious partnership agreement, testifying to their shared commitment to supporting agro-ecological, food and energy transitions in territories.
Driven by a shared vision of the issues at stake and the scientific approaches to be developed to imagine solutions for the future, the two institutions can count on complementary teams, infrastructures and skills that have already proved their worth in research programs conducted in collaboration over several years.
In a context marked by major challenges linked to agricultural, food and environmental transitions, as well as adaptation to climate change, INRAE and UniLaSalle have decided to focus their cooperation in the fields of research and training on strategic issues such as :
- Multifunctionality of agriculture and soil allocation;
- Agroecology in all its forms, from soil-plant-micro-organism interactions to agricultural territory;
- Data management and analysis, digital technology and agricultural robotics;
- Biocontrol, biostimulants and innovative production systems;
- Animal health, from the individual to the farming system;
- Organizational innovation, from the farming system to agricultural sectors and regions, integrating the issue of generational renewal in agriculture.
A partnership built around 5 strategic priorities
Training / Training through and for research
With a view to reinforcing the integration of research in training and the attractiveness of life sciences to new generations, UniLaSalle offers a privileged platform for integrating INRAE's scientific knowledge. The partnership includes the participation of INRAE scientists in UniLaSalle training courses, the joint development of teaching content, tutored student projects, the co-supervision of doctoral students and the provision of INRAE databases and documentary resources.
Research
This partnership will strengthen existing collaborations and develop new joint research programs to explore the following scientific fronts: plant adaptation to climate change, biogeochemistry of interactions between soils, plants and the atmosphere, the scientific challenges of transformation processes, animal nutrition and health, and the sustainability of farming systems.
Research in partnership with socio-economic players
INRAE and UniLaSalle intend to mobilize their knowledge and expertise to implement operational solutions for economic players in Northern and Western France. In addition to using existing mechanisms such as the “Soils and Territories” and “Agroforestry” RMTs, the BiHauts Eco de France 2022 CPER, and the France 2030 national strategy, the two institutions will be able to open up their partnerships to the other party to strengthen their collaboration.
Opening up to Europe and the rest of the world
INRAE and UniLaSalle will draw on their respective networks (European projects, associated international laboratories for INRAE, La Salle Universities for UniLaSalle) to explore opportunities for collaboration in Europe and internationally.
Strengthening joint initiatives to promote dialogue between science and society
Scientific outreach activities can be carried out in collaboration with INRAE and UniLaSalle, to raise public awareness of the two establishments' research. This could include joint participation in public debates or the organization of scientific outreach events such as the Fête de la science.
