AdNatura, a success story made in UM
This year's edition of the national trade show for ecology and biodiversity professionals, renamed AdNatura, took place at the Arena on December 12 and 13. A unique event in France, it attracted over 3,000 visitors, 400 speakers and more than 80 exhibitors.
Supported by the Association du Salon de l'Ecologie, based at the University of Montpellier, AdNaturais the must-attend event for ecology and biodiversity professionals in France. The event is organized by students of the Master's degree in Ecology and Biodiversity Management(IEGB) at the UM Faculty of Science. " For the past 15 years, this annual event has served above all tofederate, enhance and promote those involved in ecology and biodiversity. For our students and future graduates, the ecological transitionmeans both the greening of existing professions andtheemergence of new ones ", explains the show's founder, Olivier Thaler, teacher-researcher and head of the IEGB master's program.
Pedagogy geared to professional integration
The challenges posed by the erosion of biodiversity have given rise to new recruitment needs and new professional structures in applied ecology. AdNaturais at the origin of a pedagogical project included in the "Project Management" methodological course as part of the Master's training program (IEGB). Through the organization of this event, students are involved in positions of responsibility as administrators of the " salon de l'écologie " association: president, treasurer, communications manager, logistics manager, eco-responsibility manager... " .Project management is an essential skill for a Master's-level professional. This approach allows you toimmerseyourself in real-lifesituations withthe players in the industry. What's more,the wide range of career paths and themulti-disciplinary knowledge we bring to the table make for a truly rich andcomplementary approach toproject implementation " , says a student in the IEGB master's program at UM.
Each student is involved in a mission to assist the project owner or contractor. Adnaturacombines a job and training forum, a scientific and technical conference and professional meetings. Future engineers in ecology coordinate the highlights of the show and the activities of the teams of students and volunteers. It's an opportunity for them to learn how to work as part of a network.
Territorial roots and international influence
AdNatura's ambition is to become the must-attend trade show for ecology and biodiversity professionals at international level. With a budget of €350,000, it could be supported by an Adhoc structure under the direction of a steering committee. In view of this success, the collective effort will continue to consolidate links with stakeholders to attract more students, jobseekers, companies, local authorities, elected representatives and citizens.
Ecology and the city of Montpellier are intrinsically linked," adds Olivier Thaler. The UM is the world's second-ranked university in ecology in Shanghai's thematic ranking. We benefit from a tremendous 60-year legacy of achievements by the scientific and academic community."