MAK’IT celebrates five years of activity
To mark its fifth anniversary, the Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions (MAK'IT) took stock of its activities in a report presented to François Pierrot, Vice President of International Relations at the University of Montpellier, and then to the members of the Scientific Council at their first face-to-face meeting on March 21 and 22. The newest member of the family of Institutes for Advanced Study has welcomed 64 researchers who have crossed borders from 32 countries. According to Patrick Caron, Director of the Institute, more than 180 events have been organized, mobilizing a community of 300 personalities from all continents since its creation in March 2019.
By focusing on analyzing controversies as a means of identifying obstacles to transitions toward sustainability, the Institute has continually sought to strengthen and promote skills that enable dialogue, in order to avoid succumbing to polarization. The Institute thus pursues an intellectual project, while also serving as a vehicle for international outreach and openness that has benefited I-Site partners. Recognizing the value of providing a space for reflection and rethinking the world in transition, Scientific Council Chair Camilla Toulmin emphasized that "MAK'IT's insistence on bringing people and science together in a controversial but productive dialogue remains essential to achieving the broader agenda of 'Feeding, Caring, Protecting.'"
