DRAntonio Manuel Nunes DosSantos, Chancellor of theUniversity of Lisbon, is a manwho cultivates excellence.KEY FIGURES500 full-timelecturer/researchers.14 research laboratorieson campus.6,000 hand-pickedstudents.17 science specialties.100 students from allover Europe on theErasmus exchangeprogramme.PEOPLECampusASP REWARDEDIN ITALYThe 2003 Tarcisio ZuccaAlessandrelli prize wasawarded to Michèle Bezio, aconsultant at Altran’s Italiansubsidiary ASP, in recognitionof excellent work done in thefight against cancer in closecollaboration with theMathematics Department ofthe Politecnico di Torino andthe Candiolo CancerResearch and TreatmentInstitute. It was this multidisciplinarypartnership,combining consulting,education and research, thatconvinced the jury of thisannually held competition forgraduates under 30. Its aim isto promote innovationdesigned for the greatestnumber of people.THE UNIVERSITYOF LISBON : BY THE ELITE,FOR THE ELITE<strong>Altitude</strong>: What is your recruiting policy?AMNDS: The 500 academic staff on our campus arehighly qualified; all hold doctorates or equivalentqualifications. This requirement is what underpinsour exceptional reputation. In this respect, we wererecently especially proud that a Nobel Prize winnerfor Chemistry joined our teaching staff.Alt: So you must have a lot of applications foreach vacancy?AMNDS: Absolutely, although the degree of selectivityvaries from one specialty to another, with chemistryattracting the highest number of applicants.The final decision rests with the university’s scientificcommittee, which interviews about fifty applicants forevery post. The majority of the academic staff selectedare researchers, since research is one of our keypriorities. The reason we place so much importanceon research is firstly because it contributes to thequality of the education we provide, and secondlybecause it builds bridges with research in industry.Alt: What are those bridges in practical terms?AMNDS: Well, nearly 100 of our researchers workcollaboratively with other European research centres.Our preferred areas are chemistry, IT andbiology. We are also available to help companieswith their experimental research.Alt: So it’s a way of helping students better preparefor their working lives?AMNDS: Definitely. Weaving this network of links withPortugal’s major industrial players – and around ahundred of them have already turned to our teamsfor assistance – means we are in a better position toevaluate their recruitment needs and therefore toprepare our students to meet those needs. Today’s“model recruit” can’t be content with simply amassingall the latest scientific and technical knowledge:it is the ability to blend with other cultures that willreally make the difference.Alt: Is that why you have started to forge linkswith international groups like Altran?AMNDS: Naturally. Our shared aim is to givepractical case studies to mechanical engineering,IT and electronics technology students.Formula 1 is common to these project simulations– as it’s a highly technical subject thatinvolves everyone!ALTRAN IN THEIBERIAN PENINSULAWe meet the chairmen of the Spanish and PortugueseJunior Entreprise confederations partnered by Altran:Fernando Martin (CEJE) and Rui Dinis (FJC).Why this particular partnership?Fernando Martin: Because Altranis well known in Spain andbecause we are both involved inconsultancy.Rui Dinis: We share the sameenterprise spirit and therelationships established betweenother European JuniorEntreprises and Altran showed ushow strongly Altran believes inwhat we are doing.What do you expect from thepartnership?ENERGY ON THESYLLABUSFOR ITALIANSTUDENTSWhat is Europe’s energyfuture? This was thediscussion theme that broughttogether some of Italy’s leadingenergy companies, including Edison, AEM andEnel Power. At the end of last year, the BocconiSchool of Management (SDA Bocconi) held aconference on Energy in Europe, with a specialfocus on Italy. The conference was followed by around-table discussion on the opportunities theenergy industry can offer MBA students at SDABocconi, contributions from senior representativesof the companies mentioned above, as well asFranco Cornagliotto, Executive Director of Altran Italia.RD:That it will tie academic study toworking life…FM: …through training, workshopsand other case studies.What has it meant in practice?FM: Altran is helping us to defineCEJE strategy and offers usbenefits such as training incommunication, new businessprospection and simulatedinterviews.RD: We are working together toproduce a Business Managementguide for the FJC.ALTRAN AND THE CNJE: A LASTING LINKIt was in 1996 that the Confédération Nationale des JuniorEntreprises in France chose Altran as its partner. “We share thesame values for innovation, entrepreneurship and value creation.In our development, we have been able to rely on themanagerial experience of Altran and the expertise of itsconsultants”, explains CNJE President, Amaury Deroche. “Forseveral years now, Altran has also been in direct contact withcolleges in the junior entreprises network through the trainingoffered by Altran’s College Relations team”.NICOLA PLUMP, A TRUE EUROPEAN“I’m learning golf… formy work.” Nicola, acharming 25 year-oldfrom Germany, is onlyhalf joking when shesays this. She prefersthe spirit of a team tothe individuality of golf:in Germany, she playedhockey at a very highlevel. “Only for fouryears, because I can nolonger fulfil the essentialcondition of being partof a team – by which Imean being based inone place”. It seems shehas hardly had time tounpack her suitcase:studying in Barcelona<strong>Altitude</strong> sponsored subscriptionFirst name :Surname :Education establishment/ Company :Address:Personal e-mail:Please complete this form and send it to:Altran Abonnement <strong>Altitude</strong>251, boulevard Pereire, 75017 PARIS , FRANCEunder the Erasmusprogramme, then on toOxford, Madrid andParis, and an internshipfor Altran. She was thenoff to Berlin for her finaldegree. “It means I’llhave been awarded onein every country”,explains Nicola in hermethodical way.Speaking fourlanguages, she specialisesin internationaldevelopment and likesworking in a network.When she completes herstudies in March thisyear, she plans to spendsome time in Paris.22 <strong>Altitude</strong> n°2 /February 2004 <strong>Altitude</strong> n°2 /February 2004 23SUBSCRIPTIONSPONSORSHIPDR<strong>Altitude</strong> subscriptionFirst name :Surname :Education establishment/ Company :Address:Personal e-mail:THE STUDENT
BIO UMBERTO VERONESI- 28 NOVEMBER 1925: Born in Milan - 1976-1994: Director of the National Cancer Institute in MilanSINCE 1994: Scientific Director of the European Institute of Oncology (of which he is also the founder) and Chairman of the EU Committeeof Cancer Experts - APRIL 2000 - JUNE 2001: Italian Minister for HealthPORTRAITUMBERTOVERONESIMr YouthExtend your life by a third: that’s whatresearchers at the Umberto VeronesiFoundation and the Genextra start-upare working on. Theirs is an exemplaryco-operative venture between researchand the biotech industry, but what exactlywill the benefits be? We discussed theissues with Professor Umberto Veronesi,the internationally renowned Italian oncologistwho will chair the 2004 Altran Foundation jury.It all began four years ago, when Pier GiuseppePellicci and Pier Paolo di Fiore of the EuropeanInstitute of Oncology (EIO) discovered thegene p66. “This gene encodes a protein withpowerful oxidising properties”, explainsProfessor Veronesi, the EIO’s Scientific Director. When thisgene is turned off in genetically modified mice, they live 30%longer. “p66 determines the length of our lives. If this genewere turned off in humans, they would live to 120!”, hecontinues. “Since that is impossible for obvious ethicalreasons, we must find another way of countering the actionof p66: by blocking the protein it codes, for example. Wewould then have a fantastic weapon for delaying the onsetof age-related illnesses, such as arteriosclerosis, neurodegenerativediseases and cancers”. But this type ofresearch is beyond the scope of a non profit-makinginstitute. “All too often, our discoveries get left in the drawer”,« If the p66 genewere turned off inhumans, we wouldlive to 120! »adds Professor Veronesi. Which is whatprompted him to contact FrancescoMicheli, businessman and founder ofGenextra. “Genextra will apply all itsexpertise to transform our idea into aneffective product for three years, ”. Which in practical terms,means a treatment to prevent, stabilise or combat agerelatedillnesses.“Our maximum lifespan hasn’t changed for2000 years; it’s just that the average lifespan grewsignificantly during the last century. That trend won’tchange: the aim will always be to get as close as possibleto our maximum lifespan. Society will have to change toaccommodate this new fact and people’s working lives willbe much longer…”. But, to come back to the present for amoment, this does not mean that we have discovered theelixir of youth yet. “We still have a long way to go”. It’s likevirtual reality!
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