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

a portrait of the institute
A ten-year
scientific strategy
The review of the Institute’s scientific approach must prepare
the Institute to consolidate its positions with regard to its areas
of excellence, foresee developments and take up a position
on new challenges. The new issues include the need for sustainable
development and responses to climate change and
population ageing, which are areas where we must develop
research approaches that are more systemic and multidisciplinary
and that give complexity a central place. The scientific
strategy review which got under way in early 2011 and the
mutual understanding seminars identified IFSTTAR’s strengths
and added value, not only in terms of themes, approaches and
methods, but also in the interplay between disciplines and the
consideration of human factors.
In addition to these seminars, a large number of discussions
were undertaken with the laboratories in order to specify the
principal research issues for the next ten years. These were
then discussed with the Institute’s governance bodies (the
Board of Directors, Scientific and Technical Board) and our
external partners.
Following these discussions, IFSTTAR’s scientific strategy
was finalized, around the following four tasks:
Task 1: Analysis and innovation for sustainable and responsible
mobility.
Task 2: Constructing, deconstructing, preserving and modifying
infrastructure efficiently and sustainably.
Task 3: Climate change, natural hazards and environmental
and health impacts in man-made environments.
Task 4: Designing and planning sustainable cities and regions:
systemic and multi-scale approaches.
By their very nature, these tasks cut across disciplinary boundaries
and illustrate how IFSTTAR’s research addresses societal
issues. The tasks may also evolve over time. While IFSTTAR’s
first goals and performance contract imposes these tasks for
the medium and long terms, those that follow it will enable
the Institute to update its scientific strategy as societal and
scientific concerns change.
Last, in order to develop its research activities and adapt them
to the issues, needs and priorities that have been identified
above, in 2011 IFSTTAR conducted an in-depth review of
the resources, tools and policies that need to be introduced,
consolidated or modified. The changes in question will be introduced
as research directions are modified in order to make
sure the new scientific strategy is adequately resourced.
@ CONTACT
dominique.mignot@ifsttar.fr
A project for
the institute:
A human
adventure
In early 2011, the Managing Director of IFSTTAR decided to
initiate a process of consideration with a view to developing
a project for the Institute, Imagine Ifsttar, along the same
lines as a company project. The fundamental aim is to forge
a common culture within IFSTTAR, which is essential if it is to
perform its role successfully.
11
4
iDEX
iNiTiATiVES
OF EXCELLENCE
A*MIDEX
The virtual human
PACA
5
SATT
TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER
ACCELERATiON
COMPANiES
ÎLE-DE-FRANCE INNOV
Île-de-France
PACA-CORSE
PACA
6
iEED
iNSTiTUTES
OF EXCELLENCE
ON ZERO CARBON
ENERGY
FRANCE ÉNERGIE MARINE
Marine energy
Pays-de-la-Loire and PACA
GÉODÉNERGIES
Geothermal, CO 2
sequestration
Centre
VEDECOM
Vehicles and transport
services
Île-de-France
EFFICACITY
Sustainable cities
Île-de-France
The project has three goals:
To create a vision that is shared by all the staff of the new
organization created by the merger.
To undertake the transformations that are necessary for it
to perform its role more effectively and integrate better in its
scientific, technological and societal environment.
To lead its entire staff in a “human adventure” which will give
meaning to their professional activities.
The first phase of the process involves drafting the project,
which is a document setting out IFSTTAR’s ambitions. This
took up the whole of 2011 and will continue into 2012. Gradually,
by a process involving concentric circles and successive
improvement of the project, all the Institute’s staff came to be
involved thanks to an approach that encouraged their active
participation. The management committee officially launched
the process in May 2011. Next, meetings of all the representatives
of the Institute’s management were held in June
and November 2011. Between these collective meetings, the
teams met for working sessions in order to determine the future
organization of the Institute in a collegial manner.
The second phase of the project will get under way in 2012
when an action plan for achieving the goals of the Imagine
IFSTTAR project will be implemented.
@ CONTACT
sandrine.lefebvre-guillaud@ifsttar.fr
”Focus sur Imagine
IFSTTAR”, an internal
information letter on
the project for the
Institute.
annual report 2011 ifsttar.fr