Toulouse: the puzzle of the label of excellence that divides the academic world
The race for the label of excellence, which the Toulouse university community has dreamed of for ten years, is coming to an end. Two projects are currently competing, while the call for projects of the government’s program of investments for the future is on February 1st. Date of submission of applications.
Ten days before the submission of the call for Excellence projects for the Investments for the Future Program (PIA4), a program launched for French universities and grandes écoles by the government and endowed with 20 billion euros, the Toulouse university world n still haven’t been able to come to an agreement.
In essence, there are two projects in the running: one called “Toulouse Initiative for Research Impact on Society” (Tiris), the result of a partnership around the community of universities and establishments (Comue) which brings together the ‘ Toulouse 1 Capitole University, Toulouse 2 Jean Jaurès University, INP, Insa Toulouse and the Federal University of Midi-Pyrénées which bring together 31 higher education establishments.
The other is called “TTU” Toulouse Tech University and is defended by the school of economics founded by the 2014 Nobel Prize in Economics Jean Tirole, TSE, Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier University and Isae-Supaero.
Shine internationally
On the principle of grouping together in a center of excellence, to better shine internationally and in the world ranking of Shanghai universities – moreover very much in demand by French academics and researchers – the Toulouse universities and schools are converging towards the same goal. Make the Toulouse site a center of excellence.
For the time being, the negotiations are completed on the question of the mode of governance of this future entity. In addition, the schedule is tight because the PIA4 jury, which meets on February 1, in theory finances only one project of excellence per academy. The city of Toulouse, the second university city in France with more than 140,000 students in the academy, cannot present two similar research projects. You will have to choose.
In Toulouse, in terms of university mergers, the community remained on the stinging failure of the Idex label which collapsed in 2018, after many attempts to get everyone to agree. However, there was an envelope of 750 million euros at stake.
Currently, the boards of directors of the universities have not spoken. But that of UT1 Capitole, of which TSE is a component, which met on Tuesday January 18, is formal. Out of the question for the University of Law to let TSE go it alone with Supaero and UT3 Paul Sabatier to the detriment of Tiris.
Vote against UT1 Capitole
“The technical committee and the board of directors decide on the participation of the TSE Research component in the TTU project and consequently, their exits from Toulouse Capitole University. Unanimously, the TB cast a rejected vote. The CA also voted by a large majority: 26 against, 2 for and 4 refusals to vote,” said UT1 president Hugues Kenfack.
For its part, the Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier University will meet its board of directors for a vote on January 27, but Vice-President Maha Ayyoub assures that two distinct projects could be candidates for the second wave of the PIA4 (a third is expected in the fall). Following the negative vote of UT1, the reactions were quick on the side of TSE.
“Here is what the Comue proposed this evening, the carrier of the ambitious Toulouse Tech University project as a compromise: Give up this project and we promise to discuss it again with you in 3 years…”, tweeted the director of the school. of economics Christian Gollier. Himself predicting a “downgrading” of research in Toulouse without a label of excellence”. The bets have been made.
A mission of mediation
After four meetings, the mediation mission presided over by four academics – Maha Ayyoub (vice-president of UT3), Joël Echevarria (director general of TSE services), Mike Toplis (director of the Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées) and Patrick Lévy (project manager) – made four recommendations on Tuesday, January 18: “the need to submit only one PIA 4 project for Toulouse; the need for an institutional transformation allowing access to the status of a major research university through compliance with the six criteria established by the State; support for the scientific site project unanimously judged to be of high quality and the need to strengthen the role of the research centers to guarantee a bottom-up approach to scientific questions.