french institute of science and technology for transport ... - Ifsttar

a portrait of the institute
The future of
iFSTTAR is being
shaped collectively
Developing its scientifi c project has led the Institute to reexamine
research issues in the French context (National
Strategy for Research and Innovation, National Strategy for
Sustainable Development ...) and the European context
(Framework Programme for Research and Development...).
At the end of the process, transforming these issues into
research topics provided the foundation of the project.
The fi rst stage of the updating and knowledge-sharing
process for these issues consisted of mutual understanding
seminars. Five such meetings were organized ending in
the summer of 2011. They provided an opportunity for staff
to meet and swap ideas around a scientifi c topic in order
to develop an overall view, make a diagnosis and identify
possible areas for research by highlighting possibilities for
synergy, potential linkages, and opportunities for working
together in the future.
The research structures college, which is a genuine debating
forum with almost 80 members, took part in this first phase,
supported by contributions from nine multi-disciplinary discussion
groups. The first project was set up at the end of 2011 and
draws on IFSTTAR’s strong points and the added value resulting
from its creation. Apart from its coverage of a wider range of
topics, what is characteristic of IFSTTAR is its multi-disciplinary
systemic approach. This major quality, which is essential for
studying fields as complex as cities and environmental protection,
is the guiding principle of the project.
Another collective creation, the “Imagine IFSTTAR” project
for the Institute was launched in 2011 to provide IFSTTAR
with a shared vision of its social utility. Its goal is for all
the scientifi c and operational departments to work together
around a common core. It will refl ect the discussions within
the hundred-strong committee made up of the Institute’s
and units management, set out the organization’s goals and
the action plan for achieving them.
A mutual understanding
seminar in Nantes.
A meeting of the hundred-strong Committee
From the national
to the international
level
At the national level, 2011 was a very good year judging
from the number of projects IFSTTAR has been involved in
that have received accreditation during the first wave of calls
for proposals for the Future Investments Programme. The
teams are still active in 2012 and many projects have been
submitted.
At international level, the Institute’s profile and influence continue
to grow, a testimony to the recognition of the Institute’s
expertise and scientific excellence. Further proof is provided
by its active presence at major events and the fact that it has
organized some of the most important global meetings. Chief
among these is the TRB (Transportation Research Board) annual
meeting which is an unrivalled forum for transportation
issues. In addition, the Nord-Pas de Calais region hosted the
World Congress on Railway Research, and the Lyon region
held the European Congress on ITS (Intelligent Transport
Systems). The year came to a close with the World Road
Congress in Mexico City, where the Institute’s researchers
won fi rst prize in the framework of the European Forever
open Road project.
09
annual report 2011 ifsttar.fr