AdNatura: A Success Story from UM
For this latest edition, the national trade show for professionals in ecology and biodiversity—now renamed AdNatura—took place at the Arena on December 12 and 13. This unique event in France drew more than 3,000 visitors, 400 speakers, and over 80 exhibitors.
Organized by the Ecology Fair Association, based at the University of Montpellier, AdNaturais the premier gathering for professionals in ecology and biodiversity in France. This event is organized by students in the Master’s program in Ecology and Biodiversity Management (IEGB) at the University of Montpellier’s Faculty of Sciences. “For 15 years, this annual event has served above allto bring together, highlight, and promote stakeholders in ecology and biodiversity. For our students and future graduates, the ecological transitionmeans both the greening of existing professionsandthe emergence of new ones,” explains the fair’s founder, Olivier Thaler, Professor Director of the IEGB Master’s program.
An educational approach focused on career readiness
The challenges posed by biodiversity loss have given rise to new recruitment needs and professional structures in the field of applied ecology. AdNaturais behind an educational project integrated into a “Project Management” course as part of the Master’s degree program (IEGB). Through the organization of this event, students take on leadership roles as administrators of the“EcologyFair” association: president , treasurer, communications manager, logistics manager, eco-responsibility manager, and more.“Project management is an essential skill for a professional at the master’s level. This approach allowsustoimmerse ourselves inreal-worldsituationsalongsideindustrystakeholders.Furthermore, the diversity of our backgrounds andthe contribution of multidisciplinary knowledge bring real richness andcomplementarity to the implementation of projects,” says a master’s student in IEGB at UM.
Every student plays a role in supporting project owners and contractors. Adnaturabrings together a career and education fair, a scientific and technical conference, and professional networking events. Future ecological engineers coordinate the event’s highlights and the activities of the student and volunteer teams. This is an opportunity for them to learn how to network.
Local roots and global reach
AdNaturaaims to become the premier international trade show for professionals in the fields of ecology and biodiversity. With a budget of €350,000, it could be supported by an ad hoc organization under the direction of a steering committee. Building on this success, the collective effort will continue to strengthen ties with stakeholders in order to attract more students, job seekers, businesses, local governments, elected officials, and citizens.
“Ecology and the city of Montpellier are intrinsically linked,” adds Olivier Thaler. “UM ranks second in the world for ecology in the Shanghai Ranking’s subject-specific rankings. We benefit from a tremendous legacy of 60 years of achievements by the scientific and academic community.”