MAK’IT Celebrates Five Years in Business
To mark its fifth anniversary, the Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions (MAK’IT) took stock of its activities in an annual report presented to François Pierrot, Vice President for International Relations at the University of Montpellier, and subsequently to the members of the Scientific Advisory Board during their first in-person meeting on March 21 and 22. This newest addition to the family of Institutes of Advanced Studies has welcomed 64 researchers who have crossed borders from 32 countries. More than 180 events have been organized, bringing together a community of 300 leading figures from every continent since its creation in March 2019, according to Patrick Caron, director of the Institute.
By focusing on the analysis of controversies as a means of identifying obstacles to the transition toward sustainability, the Institute has consistently sought to strengthen and promote the skills necessary for dialogue, in order to avoid succumbing to polarization. The Institute thus pursues an intellectual mission, while also serving as a vehicle for outreach and international engagement that has benefited I-Site’s partners. Recognizing the value of a space for reflection and breathing room to rethink a world in transition, the Chair of the Scientific Council, Camilla Toulmin, emphasized that “MAK’IT’s commitment to bringing people and science together in a controversial yet productive dialogue remains essential to achieving the broader ‘Feed, Heal, Protect’ agenda.”
